A Terrible Privilege
by ConfessionsofaRebel
Summary: Fem!Tony: No one knows the identity of Iron Man, Steve Rogers and Natasha Stark do not get along in the least bit and things seem to be heading for the worst. What happens when the woman who supposedly didn't have a heart and the soldier out of time have feelings that begin to stir for one another? All while the Earth might need saving once more? AU. All Avengers and Loki
1. Chapter 1: How Desperate Was He?

**Hey guys! I know I've been off the radar but I've had a few things going on. I'll continue MIMLY, don't worry. AU where Tony Stark was born Natasha Stark (Earth 3490). Takes place just after the Avengers movie. Read, Rate, etc and I hope you enjoy! If not, please tell me, I LOVE critiques. :) **

"_How desperate are you? To call upon such lost creatures to defend you?"_

Loki was right in every way when he asked Nick Fury that question. Natasha Stark had asked herself that question a few times herself as she observed the group she had been placed in. She sat in the confines of her workshop, secluded from the rest of her _team_. _Team… _She thought to herself as she twirled with a strand of her dark brown hair. In the area she chose to sit, the only light sources were coming from her arc reactor that was somewhat visibly through her shirt, a light a few feet away on a table, and the light from the holographic files she had Jarvis pull up for her. The files of the Avengers.

Steve Rogers. Captain America. A soldier out of time who lived up to the legend. America's golden boy and at the mere sight, Natasha couldn't help but feel a slight rush of nausea rush through her. She frowned, roughly pushing his file to the side. The next file came up as Dr. Bruce Banner. She felt a smile curve its way on her face. Small, but enough to be visible. The one man on her team who she could actually speak English with. The one man she could actually stay in a room with for than five minutes without getting bored. Dr. Bruce Banner was a man of many talents, and one of them was putting up with her obnoxious ways.

Natasha respected that immensely. She gently slid his file, causing the next one to pop up.

Thor, god of thunder and son of Odin. The holographic images reflected brightly against her large brown eyes. Analyzing every detail of every file her eyes met with. Thor, as godlike as he was, reminded her of a soft bear in a way. He was nice enough from the moments they spoke, and he seemed like a fun guy to be with. She felt a small frown appear on her face as she remembered the reason why Loki had turned to a much darker route. Sympathy seemed to shroud her thoughts for a split second as she thought of Loki. Blinking out of her trance, she slid the file over once more revealing there were no more files to be looked at.

Clint Barton's file, along with Natasha Romanoff's file had been marked as classified in the SHIELD database. It wasn't as if she couldn't hack the system easily. She just didn't feel up for such a menial task. She knew somewhat of their pasts. Not a lot, but enough to create a theory around what Loki had said.

_Lost creatures…_

It was true, whether Fury wanted to admit it or not. They were all lost creatures in one way or another. She too was a "lost creature." And even then she didn't belong. Natasha Stark knew she didn't belong, that much was obvious. Her team didn't even know it was her behind the iron mask. Her eyes darkened as she found SHIELD's file on her. Well… both files on her. One showed her public identity. Natasha Stark. CEO of Stark Industries, former weapons manufacturer. The file delved somewhat into her childhood, but not enough to actually give a good description. The details of her captivity in Afghanistan were completely shortened, leaving the file to only say she had been kidnapped for weapons and that was it. Nothing of Obadiah's betrayals, her torture, or of her arc reactor were mentioned. The second file showed a picture of Iron Man. At first, she wanted to tell the world of her identity. To tell the world of the arc reactor in her chest. But Pepper and Rhodey convinced her otherwise. It seemed to her that perhaps only Fury, Pepper, and Rhodey knew. And maybe Phil Coulson, she could never really tell. She gave props to Coulson though since he always seemed to know everything.

Pepper had mentioned to her that she didn't just have her and Rhodey anymore. She had a team she could depend on, but Natasha found it rather difficult to believe in. Pepper had even gone as far as saying she had a family now. She sighed, thinking about the statement. She didn't need a family. She wanted one, but she didn't need one.

_And besides, who would want Natasha Stark to be a part of their family…_

In all seriousness, the team didn't like her for her. They liked her for her technology. They liked her for the fact that she brought Iron Man to them. They liked Iron Man, even though "he" disobeyed sometimes. They liked him because he was useful in combat.

Natasha Stark? Not so much. In her mind, the suit and her would always be one, but to them they'd always be two separate entities. Even if they knew her identity, they'd still see it as two separate entities. Nick Fury saw it that way.

Her hand reached for the glass of scotch that had been sitting idly to her side. She had been somewhat sober for a rather decent amount of months, and had only taken a drink or two when she felt stressed. When she felt the need to calm her nerves. For the most part, the alcohol was a way to numb whatever fear or pain she had been feeling. Mostly the alcohol was reserved for the nights she woke up in cold sweats. God only knew how long she had been down here. To her it felt like minutes but she knew better.

More than likely it had been hours since she wandered down here. "Jarvis, what time is it?"

"It's 7:58 am, Miss." Jarvis' voice rang through the lab. She sighed. She had been down there for eight hours. As she grabbed her MIT sweatshirt to cover her torso and arc reactor, she found walking up the stairs out of the workshop to be a bit tiring. Her legs were still a bit sore from the injuries of the Chitauri attack. In the kitchen she found a box with a letter from Pepper. "_Get some sleep, you workaholic."_ A tired smiled reluctantly tugged at her lips as she opened the box to find a few donuts. Crème filled donuts with a chocolate covering. Her favorite.

She took a bite before going over to the coffee machine. Taking two cups along with her: a green and purple cup and a red and gold cup. Natasha found no reason to try and go to sleep. She'd only fall victim to more of her nightmares and she definitely wasn't going to give them that pleasure. "You're up early, Miss Stark." Her eyebrow raised as she recognized the voice. Her eyes glanced to the golden boy as he walked into the kitchen. "I could say the same to you Cap." She responded in monotone.

Steve Rogers scratched the back of his head, clearly nervous about having to be alone with Natasha Stark. He and she weren't on the best of terms since they had a few altercations on the helicarrier. He wasn't too fond of her and she clearly wasn't too fond of him. He knew that well enough. She poured the coffee into a cup before fumbling towards a chair at the counter, not even giving a second glance at Steve. The air couldn't be more tense than it already was. Steve was thankful when Jarvis decided to speak up. "Miss Stark, Director Fury is on the line. He says it's imperative to wake the others for a meeting." She pinched the bridge of her nose. She didn't need visits from the one eyes asshole so early in the day. "Thank you Jarvis. If you could, wake up the others and deliver the message." She took another bite of her donut when she noticed Steve looking at her.

"Aren't you going to call Iron Man? Should he be here for the briefing?" He held a worried glance as he posed the question. She smirked in response. "I'll pass on anything important to Iron Man. Don't get your tights in a twist Wonder Boy." Steve frowned at her comment as Natasha got up once more, this time crossing the area to Steve. Steve had begun to notice a lot about Natasha Stark. The way she would spend hours awake without an ounce of sleep. How she seemed to always respond with a joke or a sarcastic response. How she would disobey any orders that were given to her by Fury or himself. How-

Steve shook his head, stopping himself from thinking any more harshly of the women in front of him. She wasn't even on the team, technically speaking. If anything Natasha Stark played the role of a consultant or sponsor for the Avengers. Giving them housing, technology, ect. But even then, she still ought to have listened every once in a while. She walked away from him and too the meeting room, still in her short shorts and MIT sweater. Steve Rogers hadn't been able to get a lot out of her file, but he knew she was a rather different individual. He followed her to the meeting room, forgetting why he had come to the kitchen in the first place.

The rest of the group slowly began to trickle in, which Steve was thankful for. Natasha seemed to refuse any form of conversation with Steve, and frankly he couldn't help but feel fidgety. Almost as if there was an underlying glare from whenever she briefly looked up to see if he was still there. She sat on her chair rather casually, her knees brought up to the seat, her phone firmly held in her hand. Steve also noticed how she had two cups of coffee in front of her. He could only assume they were to keep her awake. Her lack of sleep was evident and Steve couldn't help but notice this was one of the many horrible habits of Natasha Stark.

"Hey Nat." Her head shot up at the voice, Bruce Banner came strolling in. A lavender flannel shirt and a pair of sweatpants. His hair was still disheveled and he looked like he had just gotten up. Fury had said it was rather urgent. He took his seat next to Natasha as she slid him the purple and green mug of coffee. "Just the way you like it." She grinned widely. He gave her a smile in response as he took a sip and immediately began talking about technology and scientific stuff, something that Steve wasn't quite able to follow from across the table. Steve observed the interaction and noticed the way her attitude would change with Bruce. How her face immediately lit up at the mere sound of his voice.

And it unnerved him to no end.

Romanoff and Clint walked in side by side, looking a tad bit more put together compared to Natasha and Bruce. They sat next to Steve, making him feel slightly less awkward than before. Nick Fury strolled in with the ever professional look he had. It was strict and stern in every possible way imaginable. As he approached the front of the room, everyone began giving attention except for Bruce and Natasha. "Excuse me, but if you two gossiping girls are done, I'd like to brief you all on a serious threat, especially to you, Stark." He glared at the two. Bruce raised an eye brow in curiosity and Natasha merely smirked.

"We've recently noticed that a group of terrorists witch Miss Stark has been well acquainted with." Fury emphasized. "Has recently shown up on our radars." Steve glanced at Natasha as he noticed her attention was completely on the screen. Her eyes darkened as an area began to be pinpointed. "They were scene using tech from both Stark and Hammer Industries. It was from before your closing of the weapons manufacturer but it seems Hammer has taken the time to upgrade it."

The screen began showing men running around attacking and killing civilians, the screen zoomed in on what seemed to be causing alarm. Fury froze the image and enhanced it for all to see. "This is why we've called you all here for…" The image showed something similar to an iron suit. Obviously more outdated, and more than likely more vulnerable. _Shitty workmanship…_ Natasha thought to herself, although she still felt a need to glare at the screen. Hammer was still planning on trying to copy her ideas. She needed to put an end to it. "We have a few problems here…" Fury decided to speak up again while he had her full attention. "One being this. Plus the fact that it's not necessarily made of iron. We believe it's made with vibranium. How Hammer got his hands on it, we're going to find out. The other problem is that three of our agents have been captured and held hostage, more than likely being interrogated, tortured-"

Natasha stood up sharply in her chair, interrupting Fury completely. She grabbed her cup of coffee and began to make her way out of the room. "Miss Stark, we're not done her-" Steve Rogers had used his Captain voice. A stern and strict authoritative voice that deeply contrasted the persona of Steve Rogers. It turned Natasha on. She'd never admit it out loud, but she continued out of the room, ignoring him completely. "Let her go, Captain. She knows first hand what those agents are going through…"

"How? She's a civilian, isn't she?" He was deeply confused for a moment, just as Clint and Bruce had been. Romanoff kept a stoic face. Steve hadn't read the file, but even if he had he knew there wasn't much information on Natasha Stark. At the time he wasn't sure why but he felt himself trying to fiddle the pieces together. A look of remorse formed on his face as he finally pieced it together.

After everything he said to her on the helicarrier, he felt like an asshole…

No one would see Natasha Stark for the next few hours. Bruce had been reading a book silently in the corner, flipping a page every few seconds. Clint and Romanoff were sparring in the training facilities as Steve had been in the room with Bruce, scanning through Natasha Stark's file. He wanted to know more about her. Just so that he wouldn't make an ass of himself any further than he already had. A part of him felt guilty for what had happened…

"_You have no idea what it's like out there. You're a selfish little brat. You've been kept prim and neatly inside this glass bubble of luxury when you have no idea what it's like to be a soldier. Why Fury ever considered calling you is beyond me." _

It was harsh. He knew that. But a small part of him believed she deserved the yelling. She was reckless, and incredibly hardheaded, not to mention rude beyond belief. Steve held a frustrated gaze at the incredibly vague file. Bruce had been observing him for some time. "Anything wrong there, Cap?" Bruce's calm voice broke Steve from his thinking as he looked up and met eyes with the doctor. Steve sighed. "I think I'm going to go talk to Stark. I have a few things I need to say to her. I-"

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." Bruce chuckled as he closed his book. Steve frowned at the objection. "She's a private person. She has her secrets and her reasons. She can come off a tad bit strong but she has her reasons. We should respect that." Bruce picked himself up off the chair and stopped a few feet in front of Steve. "I have to go down there since I said I'd help her with something. But if you really want to try your luck, you can go ahead of me?"

Steve was definitely in the mood to try his luck.

Down in the workshop, Natasha Stark was fiddling with her arc reactor. Parts of the medal had been dented in a previous battle and she wanted to fix it while she had the time alone to herself. She had since changed into a button down red polo. Much easier to work on her arc reactor when she didn't have to pull and stretch a shirt. She turned the reactor gentle and pulled it from its position in her chest. The blue light illuminating her face gave her a rush of anxiety. Her memory flashed to her time in that cave. Her time with Yinsen. Her time being tortures and struggling to hold onto life.

And in her subconscious, she wondered about the consequences of completely pulling the reactor out and never putting it back in. To control her own fate for once. She'd never admit it to the SHIELD interviewers or the PTSD specialists that Pepper and Rhodey had hired, but she did at times feel that maybe the world would be better without a Natasha Stark. It would be a hell of a lot easier to live in a world without her. She paused before disconnecting the wire that connected her and the reactor together. A gasp of air left her lungs as she began feeling weak. She felt her face begin to pale as she placed the old reactor on the table and grabbed the new one. Her hands were small enough for her to connect it herself and with a jolt of energy she took a deep breath, feeling a bit better. She felt out of breath. It was almost as if she had been placed under water. The feeling of knowing you could die at any minute was a feeling you could never exactly forget. It would always resonate in her mind.

"Miss Stark, Captain Rogers is requesting entrance to the lab. Would you like to grant him access?" Jarvis' AI voice rang through the lab. _Shit…_ "Yes Jarvis!" She ran across the lab to grab her MIT sweater, throwing it on her just before Steve Rogers strolled in. He was taken aback by her appearance. She looked ghostly pale and seemed out of breath. "What can I do for you, Capsicle?" She enunciated as she regained her composure. Her hair fell in such a way that it framed her face perfectly, her wide eyes met his blue eyes, waiting for a response. "I came…" He hesitated, now unsure if him coming down had been a good idea at all. "You seemed… upset during the briefing. When they mentioned the terrorist group… I was just making sure you're okay. I mean Fury said you had a closer relation to this than you let on and-"

She raised an eyebrow. "Excuse me, Fury said what?" She would murder the man if she could. "He said you knew what the agents were probably going through." A scowl appeared on her face. "Listen Golden Boy, the douche bag had no right to tell you any of that. Forget you heard it and move on." She walked past him and approached a rather large table made for two to work at. Steve presumed it was for both her and Bruce Banner. She took a seat and began fiddling with a few machines. "Stark, look, I get you don't want to talk about it, whatever happened over there. But the main reason I came down here was to say I'm sorry…"

"Okay, apology accepted." She said bluntly, continuing to fiddle with her project. Steve frowned. "I don't think you understand what I'm apologizing for. What I said on the helicarrier about you not knowing what it's like… I didn't know when I said that and I shouldn't have said it."

Natasha rolled her eyes, spinning around in her chair looking him dead straight in the eye. He couldn't help but feel a bit of blood rush to his face. "I'm going to stop you right there. You're apologizing because it wasn't polite to say what you said. Don't go apologizing for saying something you believe in. Especially when it's the truth. Yes, Natasha Stark is a selfish little brat who only fends for herself. I get it. We can move on. Now if you would, let's leave the big business machines to Bruce and I. Okay? Okay." Her voice held a bitter tone And Steve began to piece together that there was something more behind her words.

She turned back around just as Bruce began walking up from behind Steve. Steve had a look of defeat as he turned to leave the lab, leaving the two geniuses to their work. He was angry at the fact that she wouldn't let him apologize but he was more frustrated over the fact that even though she put on the big show of being an ego obsessed billionaire genius playgirl philanthropist, she inwardly thought so low of herself.

And it was incredibly unnerving.

Before he could leave, Jarvis' voice rang through the lab. "Miss Stark, Director Fury is on the line. He said it's time to suit up." Natasha's eye twitched slightly before figuring out a response. "I guess that's for you guys. I wish you the best of luck then. My advice: don't die." She looked up and her eyes met with the Captain's. He contemplated saying something, but decided against it. It was a conversation for a later time. Now it was time to suit up. He walked out and Bruce lingered for a moment, sensing that Natasha had been feeling off. She was lacking her usual spunk. But nonetheless, he followed Steve out.

Natasha stood there for a moment, thinking to herself.

"Jarvis?" She said loudly stopping what she was doing. She felt herself slouch in the computer chair as she slid off her sweater. She looked down at her arc reactor once more. The bright glow filling the room with the odd light. "Yes, Miss Stark?" He replied.

"Should I even be doing this?" She asked, just loud enough for the AI to hear. She got up and walked over to her wall of suits, which was located in a restricted room that she only had access. She stared up at the suit, unsure what she should be doing. "What exactly do you mean, Miss Stark?" Jarvis replied swiftly. "Really though, how desperate was he… to call on us? To call on me?" Her mind flashed to what the Captain had said to herShe scowled as she pressed the button that signaled for the suit prep to begin as she walked over to the circle. Before Jarvis could answer, she quickly added.

"Rhetorical question. Don't answer." She said in a swift, detached sort of voice.


	2. Chapter 2: Speaking of Suits

**Oh. My. Goodness. You guys, my email literally blew up after I posted the first chapter and you have no idea how happy I am that so many people thought it was actually good. Ajhlekjgwle I guess I'll be continuing this story! I've tried to keep the spelling errors at a minimum, sorry if they're there. D: I hope you guys enjoy the second chapter! :)**

"I pissed her off, didn't I…" He paused. "On second thought, don't answer that."

Steve Rogers pinched the bridge of his nose as he sat next to Clint and Romanoff. Bruce had taken to sitting on the other side, reading a book as he usually did on such missions as this. "Hey, where's Thor?" Clint brought up as he looked around the room. They were on a helicarrier heading towards their destination. "And Iron Man?" He added as he did a headcount.

"Thor is still in Asgard taking care of a few things." Bruce mentioned nonchalantly. The doors slid open, causing all of their heads to turn. Nick Fury walked in with Iron Man not far behind him. "Iron Man would be right here." Natasha said as she followed behind Fury. The voice that came out of the suit was made to sound masculine, thus covering for her rather feminine voice. "I was just briefing Iron Man on a few things. If you need me, I'll be in the next room over but we should be reaching our destination shortly. " Nick Fury quickly left through the other doorway as Natasha found herself leaning against the wall impatiently. She wanted this to be done and over with.

She wanted to go back to her lab and be alone.

"Iron Man?"

She turned at the call of her alter ego to see that it was the Captain asking for her attention. "Have… Have you spoken with Miss Stark today?" Bruce glanced up and decided to observe the situation for what it was worth. He was worried about Natasha as well, but he knew better than to push into her private bubble. "We talked briefly but nothing really of importance. A greeting, some light conversation, the usual." Natasha responded briefly, pushing herself from the wall and taking a seat next to Bruce. "Hey, when do we get to know your name? Your file is the most fucking classified thing I've seen. Even Stark's file is pretty vague. It's higher than our level of file classified information." Clint pouted as he referenced himself and Romanoff. Romanoff couldn't help but smirk a little.

"If it's all the same with you, I prefer to keep it professional. The only few who know are Director Fury, Pepper, Rhodey and Nat herself." She said in response. Natasha thought about telling them. All the time. But then she remembered why she was there. It would cause nothing but trouble if they knew it was her. She could keep herself isolated in this manner if she kept it like this. Despite what Pepper said, isolating herself from this "team" would be the best form of action.

"Nat? You sound close to her." The Captain observed from his seat, eying the Iron Man as if trying to figure out something. "How did you meet Miss Stark?" He added curiously. At this point everyone had gathered to pay attention to the conversation. Bruce had even closed his book. "We met just after her escape from Afghanistan. I needed her and she needed me. It was a mutual relationship that turned into something more." She clarified; she raised an eyebrow when she saw Steve frown. "By 'something more' I mean we became rather close. Granted, Pepper didn't approve of me at first but she warmed up to the idea of Iron Man."

Natasha Stark knew it didn't clarify anything, but overall she was telling the truth. She had "met" the Iron Man after her capture in Afghanistan. She did need Iron Man. They were one of the same person. It did turn into something more: super hero, the Avengers, etc. Pepper hadn't approved of the idea of having her go out and fight in the line of danger. Rhodey thought it was pretty damn cool though. She smiled at the remembrance of his approval.

"The suit is remarkable. It has her name all over it. But I've always been curious as to the chest piece." Bruce thoughtfully asked as he slid off his glasses, taking a look at the glowing arc reactor. "I'll indulge in your scientific curiosity." She remarked, earning a small smile from Bruce. "It's an arc reactor. Nat designed it and ever since it's been the stepping stone for Stark Industries in the way of new energy. In my case, it powers the suit. I'm sure if you asked her about the components she'd be willing to divulge some information." Steve shifted uncomfortably in his chair. It was almost like watching Natasha and Bruce talk. It unnerved him for some unknown reason.

"Stark is Bruce's biggest fan!" Clint laughed to himself as he thought of the moment they met on the helicarrier before Loki's invasion. He hadn't been there but he had seen the security video. "I'm sure she was fangirling when she first met him." He grinned, wishing he could spar in a battle of words with the infamous genius. Clint was one of the only ones to truly appreciate her snarky side. "I think she's just happy that she finally has someone to do science with." Romanoff added, a faded smile on her face as she said. They were right and Natasha knew that. Before the conversation could continue, a voice rang through the intercom system. It belonged to Maria Hill. "We have reached a point of drop off, please prepare yourselves." It was brief and to the point.

Natasha Stark liked that.

"Why did Fury call us anyway?" Bruce asked before getting up from his seat. Natasha would have answered if she had known herself. "Director Fury said you more than likely wouldn't be needed, but you were brought along in case. He wanted us to do a check in on a disturbance located on the outskirts of town." Captain America said in his authoritative voice. Natasha felt a chill run down her spine, but she shook it off. "If that's the case, then technically Bruce could have stayed back at home. I could have stayed back at home. Because frankly, if I remember correctly, I'm only a consultant." She said as the team stepped off the carrier and onto the grassy terrain.

"You're both here because we're a team." The Captain retorted, an anger beginning to fill in his stomach. "Actually no. If I remember correctly, I thought I didn't qualify. Fury said that both Miss Stark and I were considered, what was it... volatile, self-centred, and we don't play well with others." The Captain sighed, clearly trying to control himself. "We're splitting up. Iron Man, head north. Widow and Bruce, head west of here. Hawkeye and I will head east. If anything happens, call it in the com and we'll be right there, any questions?"

Before another second could pass, Natasha flew away in her given direction, happy to be away from the group. They followed suit and began to separate. Clint and Captain began walking, the only sound was their feet scratching the surfaces of the grassy pasture. "Don't get too down about Natasha…" Clint said, clearly noting the worry that Steve had while he was on the helicarrier. "She's just got some baggage. We all do. I'm sure even Iron Man has his own baggage. Maybe just as bad as Natasha's. It's probably why they're so close."

* * *

In the north, Natasha had been flying overhead when something shot at her shoe thruster, sending her plummeting to the ground.

* * *

"I just…" Steve paused, thinking of how to word it. "I wish we knew more about her. I knew Howard very well. He was one of my closest friends. I'd love to have that relationship with her if she'd let me but she's just so infuriating and stubborn and bottled up. I mean, with Iron Man, he has an excuse not to talk. We don't see him much around, he's not really involved with the team as much as the rest of us, I get why he doesn't exactly want to mix personal with business. But Natasha… We're living at her house. She should be able to trust us." Clint let a long moment of silence go by before he answered.

* * *

Robots like the War Machine began to fill the surrounding area. Three in total all much bigger than her. "Jarvis, analyze them and tell me any weak points." Natasha ordered into her helmet as she hid behind the tree, hoping to get a quick answer from Jarvis. "Sensors indicate to aim for the head, Mrs. Stark. It seems to be the only area not made of vibranium." Natasha smiled to herself as she strategized how she would attack.

* * *

"Like Iron Man said, they don't play well with others. It's not really some you can fix, Cap. She just prefers to do things on her own." Clint shrugged as he twirled an arrow in his hand. "Anything yet guys?" Steve said into the com, waiting for responses. "None yet." Romanoff replied. "Iron Man?" He waited until he heard a bit of static, which worried him a bit. "I'm… good." He heard the voice say, though Steve was clearly unconvinced. "Iron Man, what's going on-"

A large explosion could be heard from Iron Man's direction, causing everyone in the surrounding area to turn and look. The explosion was also intensified on the com. "Guys! Talk to me!" Steve yelled into the com as he stared at the billow of smoke from what he believed to be the north. "Bruce and I are fine. Are you seeing what I'm seeing?" Romanoff's voice rang through the com as they all began to head towards the smoke. "Iron Man, do you hear me?" Steve yelled loudly over the static.

"Y-Yeah. I hear you. I'm good, don't worry about it." At that point, Natasha had successfully taken down two robots, shooting missiles into the head and successfully destroying them. She only had one more robot to destroy. "Your left thruster is down, Miss. I wouldn't suggest any strategy that involves flying." Jarvis' voice warned her as she sized up the much bigger robot.

"Thanks for the obvious, Jarvis." She retorted. "Jarvis, send all the power to my chest piece. Now." As she felt the power charge up, her com began make noise again. "Iron Man! We're heading to your location." Her reactor was just about charged. "I said don't!" She yelled back into the com just as she tried to concentrate on aiming the beam as best she could. She only had one shot at the head and she needed to focus. From the said of her eye, she saw a flash of patriotic colors as well as a few other shadows appeared. "Shit…" She muttered just as the beam erupted from her chest and smashed into the robot's head.

The blast caused the suit to fly backwards into a large rock formation, whereas the robot came to a tumbling stop. The Iron Man suit lay lifeless briefly before Jarvis was able to pull up emergency power. "Miss Stark?" The AI had a worried tone. "I'm… I'm good. Give me a second." She tried to silence her mind for a second so that she could concentrate enough on getting up. Captain America didn't help in her objective. "What the hell were you thinking, Iron Man!" His voice boomed as it approached the flinching figure. It took Natasha all the strength she could muster to maintain some balance while she stood.

"I gave you direct orders to call if something happened. You could have gotten killed." His voice was stern once more, and made all the more effective by the fact that he had slid his hood off, revealing his fuming face. His blue eyes bore into the eye slots of the suit. It was enough to give her goosebumps, as much as she hated to admit it. "Yeah, I could have, but I didn't. So how about that." The smirk she had would have set Steve off if he had seen it. "Call Fury to pick up these machines. If you need me I'll be heading home. Besides, I need to get fixed." Natasha said as she stumbled away, also referencing her damaged thruster. "We have orders, we should follow them." Steve held his anger as he tried to continue the conversation.

"Following's not really my style."

After a long moment of silence, Bruce spoke up surprisingly. "Where exactly is home for you, Iron Man?"

Natasha paused and turned around, looking at the expectant heroes, unsure of how to answer. Steve still looked pissed but the others were a bit curious for an answer. "No wonder they get along well. They're both selfish and bratty…" Steve muttered to himself, unaware that his com was on for everyone to hear. Natasha held a dejected look on her face briefly before hearing Bruce's voice. "I know what it's like, not having a home or anyone else to turn to. And I get that you turn to Nat because you two are close." Steve Rogers shifted uncomfortably. Clint took notice. "But you can trust us. We're a team now, right?"

"I appreciate the offer, Dr. Banner, but frankly I don't really fit in this little team. I'm better off on my own, to put it quite bluntly, since I'm _just_ as selfish as Natasha Stark, right Captain?" The comment through him off, he was unsure of how his muttered words had been heard. "The next time you decide to bad mouth people either make sure you com isn't on or don't say it out loud. But hey, that's just my opinion…" With that, Natasha stormed off, leaving a rather confused and slightly dejected team of Avengers.

* * *

"I look like shit…" Natasha mumbled as she stumbled into the lab and took a look in the mirror. She had already gotten the armor off and now only was left to look at the black jumpsuit she always wore underneath. Her hair was a scraggily mess that could be easily fixed with a brush. Her face had definitely paled, with a slight hue of purple beneath her eyes, indicating either a lack of sleep or injury. She couldn't be sure. She knew very well that her body would have bruises after today's fight, especially since she was back lashed into a rock.

"Nat, welcome home." She heard the echoing clicks of Pepper's heels as she approached the area Natasha had been standing. "Oh no, Nat, what happened? You look like a mess." Pepper frowned as she placed her folders on a work table and took in her full appearance. "Not to mention you r face looks like a ghost. Did something happen?"

"Justin Hammer and his robots happened." Natasha frowned as she fell onto a couch that had been located behind her. "But enough about me, to what do I owe the visit of Pepper Potts?" She smirked as she looked up at her. Pepper returned the sentiment. I came down here to tell you that you have a meeting later today and frankly, you can't skip this one…" Natasha's sigh was the only thing audible in the otherwise silent room. Natasha took that time to analyze the situation. She felt for bad for Pepper always having to do everything. That much was true. And she felt a tinge of guilt in her stomach as she thought of the idea of not going, thus causing more trouble for Pepper.

"I'll go Pep. I'll go. Just… give me a time and I'll try to make it. I can't guarantee that I'll get there on the dot. Maybe a few minutes or so late. Kay?" Natasha's voice was lacking the usual snark that it always had. It was one of those days where she wanted to sit in her lab, work and blast loud music just to drown out the world. If it were an option, she'd prefer sleep, but she knew better than to have such high hopes.

"You're going to get sick if you don't start resting properly, Nat." Pepper sighed as she repacked up her folders. "I left your business suit hanging by the work bench." Natasha ran her hand through her long dark brown hair. "Is it my favorite one?" She asked with the intonation of a ten year old girl. Pepper smiled to herself. "The red one? Of course. Will that be all, Miss Stark?"

"That will be all, Miss Potts."

* * *

"So, we have no idea where he went…" Steve had been sitting in the lounge with the rest of the Avengers. Thor had recently made an appearance and had now joined them. "And we cannot contact the Man of Iron, can we?" He inquired, just hearing the events of the day. "No, and even if we could I doubt he'd answer. He's a stubborn guy that way." Clint added, nothing bitter in his tone, but only remorse.

"He shouldn't have gone off and taken them on his own…" Steve said in a much calmer voice. He was upset. His leadership qualities clearly weren't shining through since one of his team members walked out on them. "But at the same time, you shouldn't have said what you said, Steve." Romanoff added in a sympathetic voice. "It's one thing to call Iron Man's character into question when you have no idea what kind of man he is. But when you called Stark's character into question? I think that set him over the edge." Romanoff lifted her eyes to meet Steve's. "From what I can understand about the weird relationship between Stark and Iron Man, they're close like family. You're at fault here too, Steve."

Steve ran a hand through his blond hair, clearly tired from the day's events.

"If it makes you feel better, Nat will come around. She gets over things real fast." Bruce added, hoping to lighten the situation. "With the exception of things having to do with Howard, she either forgets altercations entirely or completely ignores them, finding better things to do with her anger, like putting it into a new invention or something along those lines. She's a woman who believes in progress."

They paused, letting silence fill the air for a brief moment. "I wonder what made her build the suit anyway… I worked for her as an undercover SHIELD agent but I never found any files indicating reason." Romanoff said as she grabbed a premade sandwich. "She made it for protection, didn't she? Yeah, the colors are a bit flashy but I think they suit her." Clint added before following Romanoff's lead of grabbing some food.

"Speaking of suits…" Bruce said softly as he looked over at the entry way. Steve eyes drifted towards the entrance and he felt his mouth drop just a little. Not enough to be noticed by others but he definitely noticed. Natasha Stark stood in a dress suit that accentuated all her curves in just the right way. The dress ended just above her knees and was strapless. The design was simple and had been made just for her, with design help from both Pepper and Rhodey. The only thing that was conservative was the fact that her chest was covered in a such a way that no one would be able to tell there was an arc reactor just beneath the surface.

"Lady Stark!" Thor stood up with a grand smile as he went to hug Natasha. "How glad I am to see you once more!" He hugged her slightly and she awkwardly returned the sentiment. "Nice to see you too, big fella." She said as breath was fleeting from her lungs. Thor put her down and Natasha readjusted her dress, making it look nice once more. "And by the way Clint, I chose red and gold for Iron Man because as Jarvis likes to put it, I like being subtle." She grinned her famous snarky grin.

"I do know you rather well, Miss Stark." The AI replied with a tint of humor in his tone. "Alright guys, the tower is yours for the evening, I'll be at a business meeting for a few hours, don't know when I'll get home, blah blah blah, have fun." She began making a quick line to the door but Steve's voice stopped her.

"Wait, Stark." Steve stood up, his eyes meeting hers. "Do you know where Iron Man is? He just left today without a word." Natasha stood there for a moment and contemplated what was behind his question. Whether it be fear or anger, she couldn't quite tell. "Iron Man met here at the tower, I said to take the day off, he left his armor here for fixing and walked off." Clint frowned briefly. "You gave your personal body guard the day off? What if something happens?" Clint inquired wondering about the flaw in her logic. "Barton, nothing's going to happen, it's a quick meeting and I'll be done and over in a minute." She smirked in response. "Besides, I have some self-defense training. I train with Happy every other day so I think I can be a big girl." She turned on her heel and walked out of the room. She felt a headache begin to form in the back of her head.

"I'll take Advil when I get there…" She sighed as she made her way towards the elevator. "Jarvis, is Happy waiting for me downstairs?" She said as the elevator descended. "Yes, Miss Stark, right on schedule."

Natasha Stark would need more than just an Advil by the end of the day. What she hadn't known when she left Stark Tower was that there was a million dollar bounty on her head, dead or alive, and she was walking out into an open range.

* * *

A few hours passed and everything seemed peaceful at the Avengers Tower. Clint had taken to exploring the ventilation system and finding the best positions to aim from. Romanoff sat with Thor on the couch watching whatever happened to appear on the movie channel's queue. Bruce was working in the lab when Steve decided to pay him a visit.

"What brings you down here, Steve?" Bruce asked, looking up briefly from his work out of courtesy. Steve gave a polite nod. "Just thought you could use some company is all. I've brought my sketch book and everything." He smiled as he referenced the black book in his hand. Bruce spun in the chair to face him briefly. "I've kind of taken all the chairs for other things but you can look around and see if there's an extra somewhere down here." Bruce smiled at Steve as he nodded, beginning his search for a sitting area. He placed the black sketch book down on the table and began skimming the area. His eyes fell upon a door slightly ajar.

"Hey Bruce, what's in he-" Steve's voice fell short as his eyes took in the room he had just walked into. Bruce got up from his area when he noticed the Captain hadn't finished his sentence. "Even Natasha has her toys, I guess." Bruce chuckled as he followed Steve into the room, eying the room with scientific curiosity. Steve and Bruce had fumbled into her Iron Man room. The one that held every gadget and trinkets needed to fix the suit. Along one wall were shelves of books and tools. On the wall parallel to that was the wall of Iron man suits, down to the very first.

"No wonder she sometimes can't hear us…" Steve said, not really sure if it was to himself or for Bruce to respond to. He walked by the wall, taking in each suit in awe. On a table at the end of the room was the current Iron Man suit. Bits and pieces were missing. It felt weird looking at the suit knowing no one was in there. Upon closer inspection, Steve's eyebrows furrows as he saw how small the space was for a person to operate the suit. "He must be a small person, the one Natasha deemed fit for running the suit. Probably about her size." Bruce deduced as he look over the suit too. Steve's eyes shifted to the shelf when something caught his eyes. Without thinking, his hands reached for it and brought it down to examine it further.

It was a glass rectangle with what looked to be the Iron Man's arc reactor inside. It was a bit bulkier in size and had a different coloring to it. Steve read the inscription on the circle aloud. "Proof that Natasha Stark does have a heart." He frowned as he finished the sentence, unsure of what he had just read. "It's probably in inside joke or something." Bruce answered his unspoken question. Before anything further could be inspected, Jarvis' voice spoke up. "Dr. Banner, Captain Rogers, Agent Romanoff is requesting everyone to meet in the lounge immediately. It seems rather urgent."

Clint, Bruce and Steve all arrived at the same time in the lounge as Romanoff flipped to the news channel, letting it answer for her.

"It seems there was a rather huge explosion here at Stark Industries where reports have been said that three masked men entered the premises just after an important board meeting. Witnesses say that they charged the room and attacked CEO Natasha Stark. The rest of the building was evacuated prior to the explosion and it seems the only one to sustain injuries may have been Miss Stark. It's been confirmed that she has survived the attack but that is all the information that has been released. Reporting to you live from downtown…"

Romanoff muted it once she deemed it necessary. Steve felt a rush of nausea in his stomach as he heard the report. He hadn't realized he had been holding his breath until they mentioned how Natasha Stark has somehow emerged from the attack safely. "Agent Romanoff, Director Fury is on the line." Jarvis said as he broke the muted silence.

Before she had a chance to respond, Nick Fury's voice echoed through the room. "I think you all may have heard of the incident that recently happened. We've picked up Miss Stark and we are briefing her on what happened so there's no need to suit up. We'll be seeing you shortly." The call ended, leaving the Avengers to look at one another.

"The Man of Iron should have been there to protect Lady Stark…" Thor said dejectedly, hoping his friend was alright. Clint crossed his arms, rolled his eyes and sat loudly on the couch. "He would have been if Stark hadn't given him the fucking day off."

* * *

Natasha Stark sat exhausted in a seat on the helicarrier. Her right cheek was slightly bruised from a punch she had sustained. In the process of fighting off her attackers, she had ripped off the bottom of her dress, revealing black spandex sport shorts beneath. Nick Fury, who had been sitting across from her, broke the silence. "Sport shorts underneath a dress. Really, Stark?" He smirked. It was his way of trying to lighten the mood. Natasha appreciated the effort and returned the sentiment.

"I understand that it would be hard to fight with one eye but try fighting in a dress and then come talk to me."


	3. Chapter 3: Something in Common

**Thanks so much for the reviews and such! They're all so motivating. :D If you have any suggestions as to what you want to happen, feel free to suggest, I'm open to anything honestly. Read and or review and I hope you enjoy! :)**

Steve Rogers had mastered controlling his emotions when involved in combat. He had been known for his quick thinking, his strategic planning, and for his calm attitude when it came to a rough situation.

But for some reason, he couldn't control his emotions when it came to Natasha Stark.

"You're a civilian, Stark!" His hands slammed down on the table. "What were you thinking giving Iron Man the day off? Your life was at stake!" The slam made Natasha flinch briefly, a quick flash from her childhood came rushing through her mind, but it all quickly disappeared as she prepared to defend herself in a war of words.

The flash of fear in her eyes wasn't missed by Steve Rogers and subconsciously, he immediately regretted having caused that fear. Steve had been sitting across the table, she sat profile to him; the injured side of her face was turned away from him where he couldn't see it. A SHIELD medic was tending to a few minor cuts and burns on her legs. Natasha Stark had anything but consistency in her life, the one thing that had been consistent though, was pain.

She knew pain all too well.

"Even if I hadn't given Iron Man the day off he still wouldn't have been able to protect me. The suit was damaged and couldn't possibly protect me properly." She rolled her eyes as she crossed her arms across her chest. Fury had been kind enough to bring her MIT sweater to wear over her now ruined dress so that she would at least feel somewhat comfortable. "One of us should have been there to protect you, any of us should have been there. He of all people should have been there to protect you!" He approached Natasha, feeling a bit awkward when he had been yelling from across the table at a profile image. He believed conversations ought to be held face to face, full front. Her face was fuming but he did a double take when we saw the noticeable bruise on her face.

Natasha stood up, even though the SHIELD medic protested against it. She didn't break her eye contact from Steve's. "Don't go acting all high and noble, Rogers. I only ask for help from people I trust. From people I know who will have my back no matter what. And let me assure you, you aren't one of them. I get you were a Capsicle for 70 years but that doesn't give you the right to get angry at people who you haven't taken the time to understand." Natasha took a deep breath. "You're not the only one who has had to adapt into a new environment. I've had to do it, we all have, including Iron Man. Other than that we have nothing in common, so don't you dare stand there acting as if you know everything."

"I don't understand how the two of you even function properly in society. You're just as self-centered and deranged as he is. That's the difference between you and me. I don't need to adapt to that sort of thing. You two just need to get a grip and adapt to the idea that you two are actually on a team and aren't the only damn people around here!" His stature clearly towered over hers, but she didn't back down. Her wide brown eyes bore deeply into his ice blue eyes. Steve was momentarily brought back to his time, when he saw the same determination from a Miss Peggy Carter.

"Big man in a suit of armor. Take that off, what is he?" His voice had lowered down do an inside voice, but it was still menacing in a way. "Genius, billionaire, playgirl philanthropist; and I speak for both of us when I say that since you're under the assumption that Iron Man and I are exactly the same." She snarled, the bitter tone was something Steve wasn't exactly used to. "I know guys with none of that worth ten of you. I've seen the footage of you at press conferences and the footage of Iron Man fighting on his own. The only thing you really fight for is yourself. Neither of you are the guy to make the sacrifice play, to lay down on a wire and let the other guy crawl over you."

Natasha smirked, a mocking smile threatened to appear on her lips. "I think I would just cut the wire." She shrugged, causing more anger to rush through Steve. "Always a way out... You know, you may not be a threat, but you better stop pretending to be a hero with all that technology. You're nothing without it." She had to admit, that comment hit her hard. At that moment, she desperately wanted a drink. Something to dull her conscious enough to the point where she didn't have to recognize the statements being thrown at her were some of the very same statements that Howard had thrown at her.

And she knew them to be true. The Captain was right in saying she was selfish. And she knew she wasn't hero, it just stung more to hear it from her childhood hero.

She hid behind words, lies, witty comments and sarcasm. That's how she had always coped with pain. How she coped with her faults. "A hero? Like you…?" A mocking laugh escaped her lips. Her face then turned rather serious. A face that was rare on Natasha Stark's face. "You're a lab rat, Rogers. Everything that you are came out of a bottle." Her eyes narrowed as Rogers' jaw set in.

"Dr. Banner and I saw the amount of room there was for a person in the suit, so it's bound to fit you too. Put on the suit. Let's have it out. Let's see what you're really made out of." Inwardly, she was taken back; no one had ever dared to go toe to toe with her. It was a refreshing change in banter, but not enough to make her lose her edge. "You really don't want me to take you up on that offer, Captain Rogers. You have no idea what I'm capable of." She scowled. Nick Fury couldn't take it anymore. He thought maybe letting them verbally abuse each other, they'd get their anger out but it obviously wasn't doing any good. "I think that's enough, you two. Separate before I have to get involved. Captain, please leave the room so that I can continue to debrief Miss Stark privately."

They held there defensive glares before Steve turned out, not caring to look back or to say goodbye to anyone else who had happened to be in the room. The door slid almost closed and Natasha slumped back into her chair. From the corner of the room, the only other person in there besides Fury and herself was Phil Coulson. He chuckled as the door slid closed. Only a crack of it was left open

"You have one obnoxious personality, Stark." Fury said with an exhausted tone as he slid into his own chair. "I'm actually a bit surprised they haven't figured out it's you." Coulson added as he too took a seat next to Natasha. "If they saw the arc reactor, they'd be able to piece it together. A small part of me thinks Bruce might know, he just doesn't have all the proof quite yet." She smirked as she felt herself relax a little bit in her chair. Coulson pushed towards her a cup of coffee, the smell hit her instantly. Steve had walked halfway down the corridor when he realized he had left his SHIELD issued phone on the table. _Great…_ he thought to himself as he began making his way back. As he approached the door, he noticed the slight crack, making the voices inside audible to hear. "You get the work done, that's all that matters. Whether you tell them or not is all up to you." Fury said with a long sigh. "It's not like I have much of a choice, Fury."

Natasha. Steve automatically recognized the voice as Natasha. But it was missing the usual strength in her tone. She sounded worn, tired, and indefinitely beaten. Dejected would be a good word. "It's better if they don't know. They stay safe, no one has to know the details and frankly there aren't any misunderstandings." She took a sip of the coffee. She would have preferred a glass of scotch but she was willing to take anything offered up at this point. Steve frowned as he continued to listen in. He leaned against the wall casually, his hands in his pockets, looking as if he were just thinking.

"Even if that means you have to keep getting into fights with the Captain?" Coulson asked curiously. Natasha paused. She realized that sitting with the two men, it was a chance to be somewhat honest. She didn't have enough energy to wear the metaphorical iron mask in front of them and they were taking advantage of that fact. But she went along with it anyway. "Out of all of them, he definitely wouldn't understand." The statement struck Steve harshly, but he didn't take it as an attack on her part. He could hear the remorse in her voice as she said it. Whether it was for him or for her, he couldn't tell. "He was my childhood hero growing up. I think if he heard any of the truth he'd be broken and confused, especially since it involves Howard." As Steve listened, he wasn't sure what to make of what she was saying. It was a different side of her he hadn't expected. "He's better off not knowing. They're all better off not knowing. If I learned anything from Obadiah, it was that trusting people only leads to trouble." She admitted. "Someone's going to get hurt."

Phil Coulson chuckled once more. "You're a strange person indeed, Miss Stark."

Natasha smiled in response as she took another sip of the coffee. "Alright, let's go over what happened." Coulson had turned serious within a seconds notice. Natasha assumed it was something all SHIELD agents could easily do. Clint and Romanoff seemed to hone the skill as well. Steve listened intently, wanting to know a bit more of what happened. His anger had subsided and the guilt form the argument would hit him harder much later. He was more concerned at the moment with what happened at Stark Industries. "Three men barged into the office and attacked you, throwing physical hits?"

"Correct." She replied briefly.

"You fought back and took down one. They threw punches, hence the bruises, and then took down another." Phil Coulson continued to write everything down on a convenient incident report that he had brought into the room with him. "And then?"

"The third one. His name was Jeremy. Or at least that's what one of the other guys called him." Natasha frowned at the thought, wondering why they would be so careless. All the while, Steve was wondering how she could remain so calm while talking about something of that nature. She had gone through it before, sure, but that would have made him assume that she would react a lot stronger than normal. She was acting completely indifferent, almost as if she were used to the fighting, the explosions, the killing, the sights of war.

"He mentioned the bounty. It reminded me of what Obadiah had done when he mentioned it." She bitterly let out a small laugh to herself. "After the whole Iron Man incident on the streets with the War Machine, Pepper eventually showed me the terrorist video they sent Obadiah." Phil looked up from his writing and noticed a somewhat glazed look in her eyes. Almost as if she were somewhere else. Steve recognized the distant tone in her words. "The idea that Obadiah had handed me over to a terrorist after everything that happened…" She paused, and shook her head, realizing she was opening her feeling far too much for her own comfort. Steve's heart went out to Natasha Stark. This way wasn't his ideal way of getting to know her, but knowing she could be actually human made him resent her a little less.

"_You never resented her, Steve…"_ His conscious was talking to him and he supposed he was right. It wasn't resent so much as it was an undying curiosity to understand someone as strange and perplexing as Natasha Stark.

She reverted back to her normal snark after realizing her mistake. "The bounty. He said it was for a million dollars, dead or alive. I'm not sure what for but I had Jarvis look into the black market and he found my picture there. 'Wanted: the Merchant of Death' The guy went on and on saying how if he had to kill me, he could just stab me in the heart and be done with." She laughed as she stood up. Steve felt a chill down his spine as he heard her description. "The Merchant of Death, you haven't been called that in quite some time." Nick Fury mused as he turned his gaze over to Natasha, who had made it half way to the door. She held a bitter smile, but didn't turn around.

"That's not what's funny. What's funny is the idea of me even having a heart." She smirked, Steve quickly rushed into another room just as Natasha walked out, not giving the room a second glance. One thing was for certain in Steve Roger's mind though.

Bruce Banner had been terribly wrong about the arc reactor inscription being an inside joke.

* * *

"Ready for today?" Happy asked Natasha as she strolled in, a bit more rested than she had been in the previous days. She had had a strong drink or two before allowing herself to pass out on her bed. She had no recollection of the night and was happy for it. She'd have to thank Thor for bringing his Asgardian Mead . It was the best drink she had ever had, even though Pepper had been supervising her intake. "Ready as I'll ever be." She replied as the two walked into the training level. Steve and Clint were already there, prepping for a few sparring rounds of their own. "Good morning." Steve greeted them both lightly. Natasha was thankful for the fact that Steve seemed to pick up on the art of ignoring past altercations. If brought up, she felt like she'd punch a hole in a wall.

If only she could.

"How's the bruise, Stark? Looks like you took a hitter yesterday." Clint mused as he inspected the bruise on her face. "I've had worse." She shrugged in response, laughing inwardly at her double meaning. _Yeah, I've definitely had worse…_ She thought to herself as she quickly glanced down at her hidden arc reactor.

"Don't mind us, we're just here to practice." Happy said a bit too cheerily for the morning. Natasha made her way into the ring just as Happy's phone began to ring. He picked it up after the first ring, taking it off to the side. Natasha adjusted her clothing as she waited. She wore a sports bra that once again, covered her arc reactor with enough cushion, along with a pair of runners shorts. "Miss Stark, don't you think that's a tad bit too… revealing?" Steve shifted uncomfortably as he tried to look at anything but her. Clint began to snicker on the side. At some point or another, his eyes did fall and meet with her eyes. They looked much more lively than they had yesterday. Her hair had been up in a messy pony tail, thus making her face more viewable without the strands of hair framing it.

"What the matter, Cap? Don't like what you see?" She winked in his direction, causing Steve to feel a blush overcome his face. She couldn't tell if she was feeling flirty today, or if she just wanted to bother the Captain a little all in good fun. Maybe it was a little bit of both.

"T-that's not… n-not what I m-meant, M-miss Stark. What I-I meant was…" Steve inwardly facepalmed at his lack of ability to control his words. He was never really good at this sort of thing. That's what Bucky helped with. Natasha's lips curved into a genuine smile, one that Steve hadn't seen before. And he'd be lying if he said he wanted that smile to be for everyone.

No, inwardly, Steve wanted that smile to be just for him.

He shook his head briefly, frowning at why he was thinking in such a way. It was Natasha Stark. Attractive? That's an understatement. A good person? Somewhat questionable at best. At that point, he had based his opinion of Natasha Stark solely based on the reports of others, as well as a few conversations he had had with the woman himself. After yesterday's overheard conversation, he wanted to prove her wrong. He wanted to understand her. She wasn't going to make it easy, but once he was determined, Steve Rogers was rather persuasive.

"Hey Stark, something came up at home and I was wondering if I could go early…" He gave her an apologetic look. She shrugged, a playful smirk reaching her face. "Go forth and abandon me, Happy. I shall lay here without a sparring buddy." She pouted, pressed a hand over her seemingly beating heart. Happy chuckled to himself as he walked out of the area. "Where do you think he went?" Clint asked curiously as stood by both Steve and Natasha. "He has this thing for a pianist that works a few blocks from here. She runs a little diner too. I have Happy get my lunch order from there every Tuesday and Thursday." She smirked as she went to go get a water from the fridge. She walked back with three in hand and placed them down on the side. "Miss Stark, if you need a sparring partner, one of us would be glad to partner up with you." Steve offered politely.

He hadn't been paying attention to what he was saying. That much was obvious. He didn't feel comfortable fighting Natasha for a few reasons. One being the obvious disadvantage. Two being he wasn't quite accustomed to fighting, as he'd put it, 'a lady.' And three being he didn't want to hurt Natasha.

"I feel as though these two options are so well picked. Either die by the hands of super soldier or the trained assassin…" Natasha gave a fakery thoughtful look, as if she were actually trying to decide. "After yesterday's attack, I'm surprised you aren't a bit more shaken up." Clint added with a friendly smile. Worry reached his eyes and Natasha made note of it. "Don't worry about it. I've been through much worse and made it out alive." She grinned. "Who's up first?" She asked as she looked back and forth between the soldier and the archer.

The Captain was surprised by her strategy. He was positive of that.

Her movements indicated defensive as she dodged a majority of his punches, punches that were being thrown as to not harm her on the off chance that he did hit her. She even threw a few kicks too. "You're light on your feet, Stark." Clint chuckled as he watched the two continue. Steve threw a punch that she dodged by doing a back flip, her foot colliding with his face. It didn't hurt him but it was still a nice shot. Natasha paused a bit breathless. "Mother wanted me to be a bit more girly so she had me in gymnastics a year or two. That obviously didn't last long." She took off her sparring protection and leaned on the rubber bands that enclosed the stage. Clint threw both her and Steve a water bottle. "How come you didn't continue?" Steve asked, thinking about how strange it was having a polite conversation with her for once.

He liked talking to her like a normal person.

"Howard." Her tone was indifferent and the two knew better than to push further on the subject, even though Steve desperately wanted to talk to her about it. In a selfish way on his part, he felt bad because one of the big reasons he wanted to befriend Natasha was because she was one of the last links to his past. "Since we're not doing much today, how about we go for a dip in the pool? It's perfect weather outside. Natasha and Thor are out retrieving the SHIELD agents so mission wise, we're free." Clint grinned at the idea. Steve was open to a day at the pool as well, He looked beside him only see Natasha flinch as he finished his sentence. He frowned as he saw a flash of fear run through her eyes. After a split second, it disappeared, making him doubt whether it was really there or not.

"I'm not really a pool kind of girl but I'll get back to you about it." She smirked as she stretched her arms. Clint rolled his eyes. "You? Not a pool girl? Come on, you were one of the Maxim Girls. Three pictures involved bathing suits and the pool." Natasha smirked at the mention of the photoshoot. Her eyes questioned why he would remember such a thing, teasingly. He held his hands up in defense. "Loki had me research all the Avengers when I was down under. That came up mid search."

"As much fun as a pool day sounds, I'm going to have to decline. Fury sent over a few things for me to look at anyway." She said as she began making her way out the door. The two watched her fleeting figure, but didn't see the look of annoyance that was on her face. Fury had described the things he sent as "vintage." She knew that meant they were things of her father's. As she left the room, Clint started up conversation once more. "You two weren't fighting at all! Is this the start of a blossoming friendship?" Clint mused once more, nudging him gently. Steve laughed. "I doubt it. They're still a lot I don't understand about her and that's bound to get me yelled at. Again."

Steve took a sip of his water bottle, now getting the chance he needed. "Clint, does the name Obadiah ring a bell to you?" Steve looked over at him with a serious look in his eyes, wishing he had come up with a better transition. "It does. His name came up when I was researching Stark and Iron Man for Loki." Clint shifted uncomfortable as he took a seat. Steve followed suit. "After Stark's dad passed, Obadiah was kind of a surrogate father for her. He helped the company, ran it until she was 21 and old enough to run it herself. But then after her capture in Afghanistan, a month or so after, he just vanished. No one knows where he went." Clint shrugged.

After the brief information he had heard from Natasha, he would lunch whoever this Obadiah was if he ever got the chance. "You could ask Rhodey or Pepper." Clint added, hoping to be of some use.

"They were there since the beginning. I'm sure those two know Stark's darkest secrets. I can only guess Obadiah was one of them."

* * *

Fury had sent her father's things. As expected. She sighed as she opened up the first of a few boxes. Folders, files, and a few pieces of scratch paper and been stuffed into the box. Her curious eyes lingered as she picked up a handful of the files and began skimming them. One file stuck out to her specifically. "Steve Rogers…" She flipped open the folder while grabbing her water bottle, taking a quick sip before fully giving her attention to file. It had his rejected army papers, profiles and few things that were common. Under normal circumstance, she'd find it odd that Howard had these papers.

But this was Howard Stark she was talking about.

The man that spent the rest of his life looking for America's Golden Boy who had been frozen in the ice caps. The man who neglected his only child and instead took every chance to compare her to someone she'd never be. The man who turned his child into the selfish brat she was today.

"_You're not the only one who has had to adapt into a new environment. I've had to do it, we all have, including Iron Man."_

The words echoed through her mind as she continued to read through the file. She hadn't necessarily understood the meaning behind her words until then. How true of a statement it had been. In Steve's case, he literally had to adapt to a new environment. A time that had different principles and standards. She chuckled to herself, thinking about how she must come off as unlady like in comparison to the women back in his time. She turned the page and continued to read about all of his missions, and in turn she began getting a bit attached to what she was reading. Almost as if she were reading a book and she couldn't put it down.

The mission that made her have to pause briefly was the mission of Bucky Barnes.

The mission that Steve lost his best friend. The one who had been there with him throughout everything died in front of his eyes. He risked it all for Steve. At that moment, it flickered in her mind that she and Steve Rogers did indeed have something in common.

Three months in a cave proved to feel much longer and could strengthen a bond between two people. The way Bucky had been to Steve, Yinsen had been to her. At that moment, she felt a connection to the grief Steve Rogers was more than likely constantly carrying. A burden that he probably felt responsible for his death, just as she did for his. A small part of her wanted to try and make amends with the Captain. She'd never be happy. She knew that. But if she could make someone else happy, then maybe she'd be able to make amends for at least some of her faults. She closed the file, placing it to the side as she looked down further into the box. Her eyes focused on what appeared to be a black leather book. A few pages were sticking out of it but she picked it up carefully before realizing what it was.

A sketch book.

She skimmed through it quickly noting the costume designs and immediately observing it was Steve's. It was something from his past. Something that could probably make him feel at least a little bit better. "Jarvis?"

"Yes, Miss Stark?" He replied as she got up from her area, slipping the sketchbook in a manila envelope. She grabbed a piece of paper and wrote a quick note. She placed the two things together beneath a shoot she had specifically made for times when she didn't want to leave the lab. "Place this on the counter for Captain Rogers to see in the kitchen." Without response, the shoot sucked up the two items. She walked back to the area filled with boxes. She began spreading out all the papers and files until she finally came across a DVD that was more than likely a compilation of all the videos that related to her.

SHIELD was inevitably behind such a thing.

Jarvis scanned the DVD and a large screen pulled down from the ceiling. She scowled as an image of her father appeared. A deep sigh escaped her lips as she leaned against the wall, prepared to watch all of the contents on the DVD.

"And now, from the great beyond, my father Howard Stark!"

* * *

It was a few hours later when Steve had gotten out of the pool. He walked inside as he dried his blond hair with a towel he had brought along with him. Making his way to the kitchen, he planned on bring him and Clint something to eat. He placed a plate of already made food on the counter when an envelope with his name on it caught his eye. Beneath the envelope was a manila envelope. He placed his towel down and opened the envelope, looking at the unfamiliar handwriting. It was surprising neat and legible, but strayed from being written in a straight line at times.

_Captain,_

_Thought you might want to keep this. You should have said something about your drawings._

_-Stark._

An involuntary smile appeared on his face as he read who it was from. A burning curiosity fueled in his stomach as he looked inside the manila envelope.

He didn't know what to feel when he saw it. Relief, shock, confusion, any one of those would have sufficed. The idea that something from so long ago still lived and breathed beside himself, something tangible, something from his time that he felt a personal connection too. At that point in time, it was more than anything he could ever ask for.

And more surprisingly enough, he had Stark to thank for it. The feel of the sketch book in his hands as he walked down to the lab felt nostalgic, it felt like home in away. The lab door was noticeably unlocked as he let himself in. He was surprised that the usual music wasn't blasting from the speakers, but instead a person speaking was coming through. Her followed the source to come across a large screen, playing was seemed footage from not too long ago. Papers and files were sprawled across the floor. Not too far away, Natasha slept soundlessly on the floor, a bottle of bottle of alcohol not too far away. Steve frowned as he took note. His attention then turned to the videos playing on the screen.

He felt a stab in his heart as he watched the clips that played in front of him…


	4. Chapter 4: He knew

**A good lot of you might hate me after this chapter… *hides under bed* A lot of it is based off of dialogue from the Iron Man movie but I did it for backstory! Please don't hate me! ): But please read, review and I hope you enjoy it!**

"Thanks for having coffee with me." Bruce Banner said as he took a seat from across a somewhat familiar face. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Dr. Banner." Rhodey smiled as he took a sip from his coffee. The two sat in a small café in the city. It was in the quieter part of the city, much to Bruce's liking. "How are you liking New York?" Rhodey gave him a friendly smile as he placed his cup down.

"Well, considering how last time I broke Harlem, I think it's been having a pretty decent time." He chuckled. Rhodey smiled in response. I see why she spends a lot of time with him. She called it 'sciencing' I think… He thought to himself. "I'm sorry to have called you on such short notice but sadly, I'm not here to make a new friend." Banner's voice was calm, it could calm a whole room if needed, but Rhodey took note of the serious tone in his voice. He nodded for him to continue. "Natasha told me something in private that I thought I'd look into. She said to me that the men who attacked her used a device that paralyzed her for about fifteen minutes." He paused, taking in Rhodey's reaction. He knew what he was talking about.

"She said that only she and a man named Obadiah Stane has access to such weapons." Steve had also asked him whether the name sounded familiar to him or not. At first, he assumed someone might have stolen the technology, until Steve told him of Obadiah's darker motive, nased off of what he had overheard from Natasha, Coulson and Fury. He wanted to put the pieces together. "And you want me to find out who Obadiah might have sold them off too." Rhodey gave the doctor an impressed expression. "And I'm guessing she doesn't know that one, you've come to me for help, and two, that you know who Obadiah truly was." Bruce nodded as he took another sip of his coffee. "She doesn't want to look into it, from what I'm understanding. She thinks the attacks will keep happening to there's isn't a point on focusing on a failed attempt." Bruce added with worry in his eyes.

"I'll look into it, Dr. Banner." He said as he took another sip of his coffee.

* * *

After having watched clip after clip, Natasha had fallen asleep at some point. More than likely from drinking away her grief. Growing up, she lived in a home that recorded most events. Most conversations. Howard Stark was, after all, her father. So when she fell victim to unconsciousness, she wasn't surprised when one of those dreams appeared.

Natasha Stark didn't know whether to consider it a dream or a nightmare. She was brought back to a time when she was eight.

It was the fourth of July...

* * *

"_That's the hero of America, Natasha. And I'm going to find him…" Howard Stark said as he watched the screen play old war footage. Natasha had just come home from a fourth of July festival. She sported an all-American outfit. A red and white striped short skirt with a blue top with sparkling stars patterned all over. Her eyes were wide with admiration as she watched the old war footage. "One day I'll be just like him. Steve Rogers: Captain America…." She said a bit too loudly. She had a few reasons why she wanted to be like Captain America. Some might even say she had a small crush on the soldier. Another was because subconsciously, she wanted her father's attention. For him to look at her for once. The footage continued to play. Captain America's song was playing. The Star Spangled Man._

_She heard her father give a hardy laugh. "Don't be ridiculous, Natasha. You'll never be like him." It hit her harshly when he said that. "It's just like the song says. He's stalwart, steady and true. Forceful and ready to defend." Natasha looked up at her father, noticing the stars in his eyes whenever he spoke of Captain America. A pang of jealousy struck her heart. "He wasn't just that. He was the kindest hearted kid you'd ever meet. He was willing to give his all no matter what. What I wouldn't give to have him as my son. I felt like he was my son to a point. I was heartbroken when we found out about the ship crashing." The man looked somber as he took a drink._

"_If you're so concerned, why are you here with your kid instead of going out there and looking for your precious 'son?'" She glared, anger beginning to fill her as she stomped away from her father. "I'll prove him wrong. I can do anything. I'll be even greater than him someday…"_

* * *

Natasha shifted uncomfortably in her sleep. Under normal circumstances, Steve would have noticed. He was however, entranced by the series of clips playing on the screen. His heart broke for the inventor sleeping behind him. At the same time, he felt enraged. A blinding fury was building up in his chest as he watched the horror in front of him.

The first clip started with someone sitting in a chair. A bag was over their head, along with men pointing countless guns at it. One of them pulled off the bag, revealing the face of Natasha Stark. Her face was bloodied with cuts from every which way. Blood was matted into her hair. As the bag was lifted, confusion flashed across her eyes and then settled into a look of anger as she stared into the camera. Her hands were tied behind the chair, a large bandage was wrapped around her upper torso. Blood was staining through. The men began to talk in a foreign language, but subtitles appeared on the bottom. "You did not tell us that the target you paid us to kill was the great Natasha Stark…" Steve felt horrified watching it as the clip continued. A clip of her waking up. She looked panicked for a moment, especially when she noted the amount of wires coming from her chest. All connected to a car battery. She didn't tear the bandages though. "What the hell did you do to me?" She directed towards the man standing up, shaving as if nothing had happened.

"What I did was save your life. That is an electromagnet, connected to a car battery. I removed as much shrapnel from your chest as I could, but there are still some pieces left. I've seen plenty of injuries like that. In my village we call those casualties "the Walking Dead", because they take about a week to reach your heart." There was banging on the door and yelling. The man ushered for her to stand up do as he did. A group of men came in with weapons of all sorts, all pointed at Natasha and the unknown man. "Those are my guns, how did they get my guns…" Natasha mumbled in disbelief. Her eyes wide with a mixture of panic, fear, and anger. The man leading the group of men began speaking rather cheerily towards the two in the same foreign language. The unknown man translated.

"He says welcome, Natasha Stark. The most famous mass murderer in the history of America. He's honored."

Steve felt sick as he continued to watch.

Natasha gulped as the man continued to speak in his foreign tongue. "He wants you to build the missile. The Jericho missile that you demonstrated…" The man gave the translator a picture of what was presumably the missile in question. Natasha looked up with a stone cold face, allowing for a few seconds of silence.

"I refuse."

Steve felt his stomach drop as she said that, knowing very well that he hadn't even seen the worst of it. "Steve…" He flinched, a rush of adrenaline ran through him as he feared she had woken up and caught him watching something he more than likely wasn't supposed to. He turned around only to see she was still sleeping. He still felt scared until she said his name again, thus reinforcing the fact that she still was asleep. Steve wasn't quite sure what to make of the idea that she was dreaming of him. Subconsciously he was flattered. He turned back around to the screen, reality washing over him as he noticed the content of the screen.

The next clips showed her torture, via the security cams on the walls. Their favorite process of torture was by waterboarding. _No wonder she didn't want to go to the pool today…_ Steve thought as he watched. Steve had to take a seat. As the clip switched once more. The feed showed the metallic iron suit, the very first one to ever be made. The lid opened revealing her face. The shot was coming from a camera that was located on a wall a foot or so from them.

"_Dr. Banner and I saw the amount of room there was for a person in the suit, so it's bound to fit you too. Put on the suit. Let's have it out. Let's see what you're really made out of." _

"She had worn the suit before…" He frowned, immediately regretting having said what he said. The clip continued as she stooped down to look at the dying man from before. The man who had saved her life. Before she could say anything, he spoke. His sentences fragmented by impartial breaths. "My family is dead, Stark... and I'm going to see them now. It's okay, I want this... I want this." She paused, trying to cope with the pain. "The person who embraces their heroic nature pays a terrible price. That person sees the darkness in the world, and in their own heart, and is forever changed. And the day comes when that person must ask themself, 'What kind of person will I be? Am I willing to die on my feet? Or will I live my life on my knees? Do I have what it takes to become truly great? To become more than just a person?' In your case, to become made of iron…" Natasha stared at him with all the gratitude she had.

"Thank you for saving me…" She said softly.

"Don't waste it... don't waste your life, Stark." The last words of the dying man. The screen began playing another clip, it looked like a press conference. Natasha looked beat up, but her right arm was on a sling and she sat in front of the podium. An older man sat next to her, he assumed it was Obadiah. He heard Natasha's voice from the screen playing.

She turned to Obadiah briefly before speaking. "I never got to say goodbye to Dad." She paused, and then turned to the press, speaking a bit louder. "I never got to say goodbye to my father. There's questions I would have asked him; how he felt about what this company did. If he was conflicted, if he ever had doubts… Or maybe he was every inch of the man we remember from the newsreels. I saw young Americans killed, with the very weapons I created to defend and protect them. And I saw that I had become a part of a system that is comfortable with zero accountability…"

"What happened over there…?" A reporter asked solemnly, shocked to hear any of the words coming out of the young CEO's mouth. "I had my eyes opened. I came to realize that I had more to offer this world… than just making things that blow up …"

"…and that is why, effective immediately, I am shutting down the weapons manufacturer's division of Stark Industries…" The crowd burst into question and the video seemed to end there. Switching to a different clip. The video was much sharper compared to the other clips. Natasha was walking over to her couch in pair of short shorts and her infamous MIT sweater. She picked up the ringing phone and answered it, when a piecing screech stopped her in her tracks. Her face paled as blue veins started to show. Steve's eyes widened as he saw a pair of hands gently place her head down.

"It's a shame the government didn't approve. There are so many applications for short term paralysis." Obadiah Stane walked from behind the couch and sat across from her. "Oh Nat…" He said in a mockingly endearing way. "When I ordered the hit on you…" He paused, taking time to pull out what looked to be a metal claw. Steve frowned, wondering what it was for. "I worried that I was killing the golden goose." Obidiah Stane lifted the MIT sweater above her head, tossing it the side. She wore a button down red flannel shirt. Steve's eyes were caught by a glowing just beneath the thin fabric.

It hit him right there and then.

"It can't be…" he muttered to himself. Obadiah began to unbutton the top half of her shirt, revealing what Steve had feared. The arc reactor. He didn't understand any of it or how it was possible, but there it was. Glowing vibrantly in all its glory. Bruce had mentioned that the arc reactor itself was also an electro magnet, from what he could read from the blue prints. Once more, Steve pieced it together, remembering what the man from the cave had said.

"_What I did was save your life. That is an electromagnet, connected to a car battery. I removed as much shrapnel from your chest as I could, but there are still some pieces left. I've seen plenty of injuries like that. In my village we call those casualties "the Walking Dead", because they take about a week to reach your heart."_

That thing was a part of her. Keeping her alive. Keeping the shrapnel away from her heart. Obadiah continued to speak as he stuck the metallic tool around the arc reactor. "But you see, it was just fate…" Obadiah pulled on the tool just as a small clink sound was made, causing Natasha grunt in pain. Almost as if the breath had been knocked out of her. He pulled out the arc reactor slowly, the light shining brighter across his face and Natasha's pale face. "That you had one last golden egg to give." He stared down menacingly at her. She held a firm face. "Did you think that just because you have an idea that it belongs to you?" He smiled in a way that made Steve want to punch him. He wanted to punch him the minute he heard that he was behind the hit.

"You father, gave us the atomic bomb. What kind of world would it be today if he were as selfish as you." He smirked, just as he completely pulled out the arc reactor. Her eyes widened as a pained sound escaped her lips. "Oh Nat, it's beautiful." She sat down next her, his arm draping behind her as she showcased the invention that was supposed to keep her alive in front of her face. "This is your legacy. And a generation of weapons. With this at its heart." Steve couldn't take it anymore. "Jarvis, stop the film. Just stop it." He said loudly in what would otherwise be known as his Captain voice. The video stopped and the SHIELD logo began slowly bouncing around the screen like a screensaver. He needed to think. He needed silence to think because what he just realized was enough to make him rethink everything he had been sure of.

He had been sure that Natasha Stark was somewhat of an egotistical spoiled brat.

He had been sure that Iron Man was a self-righteous hero bent on only saving himself a majority of the time.

He had been sure that those two were a lethal combination of absolute wrongness.

And yet, each one of those turned out to be a complete and utter falsehood. He immediately regretting having ever said any of the horrible things he had said to Natasha, now knowing them to have all been proven false. What made it worse was that she accepted a majority of his criticism. About being selfish, bratty, egotistical, all of it. He looked like an absolute ass.

Natasha Stark wasn't the woman he thought she was. Iron Man wasn't the hero he thought he was. Because they were one in the same. Natasha had tipped her hat by involuntarily hinting at the fact that she and Iron Man were one in the same during their argument. When she said she spoke for the two of them.

She wasn't selfish. Dear God no, Steve would never in the right mind be able to say that she was selfish after having seen what he saw. She was selfless. She was a hero. He would punch himself if he could for having ever said that she was selfish or not a hero. He would take it all back if he could. He felt a pang of remorse and sadness in his heart as he glanced over at the sleeping Natasha Stark. She took the brunt of criticism from not just him, but from a lot of people, and she didn't say a word about what she had done. She was off saving the world and a good number of people didn't know it. Except presumably Pepper, Rhodey, and Fury. She flew through a nuke through a dimension space hole and she didn't say a word about it.

Steve Rogers couldn't have felt like more of a jerk at that moment. He looked over at her again and noticed that she as thrashing about. _A nightmare…_Steve thought to himself. "Miss Stark…" He said, hoping to wake her up. She looked to be in a cold sweat, mumbling something as she continued to thrash about. "Stark." He said more firmly, not wanting to wake her up abruptly. Her actions continued as he began to worry what was happened. "Natasha!" He yelled a bit loudly. "Yinsen!" She yelled as she sat up quickly at the sound of her name. Her eyes were wide with fear and her breathing was heavy.

Her eyes glanced over to Steve, her face raw with emotion, the most emotion he had ever seen her with. "I… You were having a nightmare." Steve answered her unasked question. She glanced over at the screen that now displayed a SHIELD logo spinning as if it had been a screensaver. "…How long were you in here for… How much did you see?" Her voice shook as she tried to regain composure. Steve swallowed hard, his eyes filled with a hidden fear because he didn't know what to tell her.

He knew. He knew everything and he didn't know what to say to her at that moment as she stared at him with those large brown eyes that bore into his. He felt his heart speed up a bit and his stomach flip as she continued her gaze.

He had to answer her right there and then.

**A/N: I know. I know. Another cliffhanger. But I just had to. And I know this chapter was really based off dialogue from the Iron Man movie, but I promise it was to build up some backstory! Please don't hate me? D:**


	5. Chapter 5: To Notice

**And now for you answer! Read, review, enjoy, and a little side note. I have actually figured out a possible plot for this in terms of who I want the villans to be! Success! And also, Loki will be appearing soon, not as a villain though since I love him too much. **

"I just came in."

It was a lie, yes, but it was the best answer Steve could think of. It was the in the best interest of everyone if he continued the game of not knowing. Steve stood up, and extended a hand to help her up as well, and lead her to the couch. She still seemed distraught, and a bit out of it. Her handed ghosted the bottom portion of her face as she seemed to forget there was someone else there with her. That dream specifically hadn't happened in a long time. At least not as vivid as it came. There were only two other times when it came as vivid: the night she came back and of course, when it actually happened. Steve didn't know what to do. If he should leave and give her time to herself, or to stay. "Yinsen died because of me…" She mumbled to herself, staring off. Steve frowned again, realizing he had been doing that quite a lot in his time down in the lab.

He wasn't quite sure why he it. It was involuntary, spontaneous and impulsive. It wasn't something he was used to being. He slowly wrapped his arms around her. It was meant to be a comforting gesture. To maybe bring her back from whatever horrible place she was in. Steve presumed she was in the cave still. In a small way, he was shocked that she didn't push away or flinch at his touch. Instead she turned a bit more to face his direction, accepting his gesture. He didn't know how long they sat like that, but after a while, he felt her arms wrap around him, returning the gesture. The next that happened, he almost wasn't sure if it happened. But if it did, he'd never forget it. It was mumbled and under her breath as Natasha said the simple three worded sentence.

"Thank you, Steve."

* * *

Natasha remained unseen for the next few days. Pepper occasionally brought down food and to drag Natasha to bed or to the shower. Bruce Banner knew better and decided it'd be best to work in one of the other labs, even though he missed the company of the other genius. "I hate when she does this." Pepper frowned as she walked into Bruce's lab. Bruce was looking at a holographic image of charts and graphs. His eyes strayed briefly to meet Pepper's eyes. "She's still not coming out?" He didn't sound surprised. Next to him was Steve Rogers, who was sketching whatever came to his mind. He looked up, smiled at Pepper, and looked back down. "Correct. And she had Jarvis put the lock down code that I can't get passed unless I tell him the override code." She pouted as she crossed her arms across her chest. "Why not use the override code?" Bruce asked gently.

"She changed it. Again."

Pepper placed down two brown bags that more than likely contained a snack for the two of them. She placed her own brown bag down and took a seat, pulling out a bag of blueberries. Steve eyed them briefly, remembering Natasha eating the same thing on the helicarrier. He looked into his bag and found the very same ones. He smiled to himself. "I don't know what happened but she's going to have a lot of explaining to do when she comes back out." Bruce and Steve chuckled a bit at Pepper's firm statement. "Thank you, Miss Potts." Steve added quickly as he referenced the blueberries. Bruce nodded in agreement. "Mr. Rogers. I told you. Call me Pepper." She gave a smile that he returned. "By the way, Mi-" He caught himself as Pepper eyed him with faux scrutiny. "Pepper. How did you meet Miss Stark?"

A wide smile curved on her face at the memory of how she met Natasha Stark. "I was in the secretarial pool at Stark Industries. I was 23, Nat had just turned 21 and Obadiah had just given the CEO position to its rightful owner." She ate a few blue berries as she continued. "I was going through files when I happened upon an accounting error. Made by Miss Stark herself."

Bruce stopped looking at his charts all together, a surprised smile playing on his lips. Steve looked up completely as well with the same expression. "She made a mistake? Natasha Stark made a mistake?" Bruce scoffed at the very idea. "She's so to the point when it comes to calculations. I don't think I've ever seen her wrong." Steve closed his sketch book and leaned on the table, wanting Pepper to continue the story. "It was the smallest mistake you could possibly make when accounting, but you can't and I mean it, you cannot tell her I told you any of this. She'd get back at me and I'm afraid of how her mind works. Knowing her she'd set me up on a blind date again." Pepper rolled her eyes at the very though. "She noticed the mistake herself at some point, called me in and offered me the job as her personal assistant." She took another few berries into her mouth.

"But how did you two get to be friends? That's a very hard feat." Bruce said as he looked back at his charts. "Yes, it is. Granted, I thought she was obnoxious and spoiled in every which way. Rhodey knew her longer so a lot of her nights, the ones that weren't spent partying and flirting or sleeping around. She'd be with Rhodey. I can't remember when it was but it was a year before her kidnapping. I was at one of her photoshoots for playboy making sure she made it to the dinner she had scheduled right after. I was waiting a few rude guys came out of nowhere and wouldn't stop bothering me." She grimaced at the thought. "They were saying inappropriate things…" Steve said with a bit of disappointment in his tone.

Pepper nodded. "But then out of nowhere there comes Natasha Stark, decked out in a classic playboy bunny costume, and she stood up for me, right there and then. She told them to go away, and to be fair she said much stronger words to get them to leave, but right there and then I saw the nicer side of her. The side that said she could care for other people." _Typical…_ Steve thought to himself, thinking about how she surprised each and every one of them in some weird way. "I wouldn't worry too much, Pepper." Steve looked her in the eye. "She'll come around soon enough." He gave her a smile that could warm the polar ice caps. He looked back down at his sketch book and continued his sketch, but he didn't get to see the somewhat shocked look on Pepper's face. There was a different look in his eyes when he talked about Natasha.

Pepper Potts was the first to realize the change between Steve Rogers and Natasha Stark.

Bruce was the second to notice.

Natasha had finally made an appearance after three days of seclusion. She looked cleaned, washed, and dressed for comfort as she normally did. Her notorious sweater and a pair of dark denim jeans. "Miss Stark, Mr. Hogan dropped off your order a few minutes ago." Jarvis said as she saw the bag of fast food on the counter. "Thank you Jarvis. If you could, tell the same to Happy." She said as she took the bag from the counter and made a beeline for the couch, placing the bag on the coffee table. "Nice to see you out and about, N-Stark." Steve Rogers said as he strolled in.

After having Pepper tell him to call her, well Pepper, it made him think about maybe calling Natasha Stark something other than 'Miss Stark' or 'Stark.' Another part of him felt a bit out of place calling her 'Natasha' though. "Well you know me, Cap, once I get involved in a project I get it done. I hate leaving things unfinished." She replied with a bit of a smile, as she opened the bag, pulling out a cheeseburger. In a small way, he wanted her to call him something other than 'Cap' or 'Rogers.' Maybe she could even call him Steve. Steve went to the kitchen, hoping to find something to eat. Natasha eyes him momentarily.

"I have an extra order here if you're looking for something to eat?"

Steve looked up, a bit surprised by the offer, but smiled nonetheless in response. She took that as a yes as she scooted over on the couch. "I've made it tradition that every week, I have a burger at some point." She smiled as she took a bite into her burger. Steve did just the same. He swallowed before replying. "Why's that?" He took another bite. "You never know when you won't be able to have one again." She grinned cheekily as she dipped her burger into some ketchup that she had set aside. "Oh, you got fries too!" He grinned as he pulled out the two large sized fries. "Hold on there. We need ice cream for this." She got up without waiting for a response and went to the freezer, pulling out a carton of vanilla ice cream. Along the way she grabbed two cups and two spoons.

"Pepper thinks it's gross and sometimes Rhodey will join me in doing it." She immediately dipped a fry into one of the scoops in her cup, enjoying the flavor. Steve couldn't help but smile. "Bucky and I used to do the same thing." He said as he repeated her actions. Her eyes glanced over at him, silent and unnoticed as he continued to eat. She was surprised he brought Bucky up. It was a bit of common knowledge around the tower how certain things were off topic unless otherwise brought up. For her, it was Howard and Afghanistan. For Bruce it was the night everything went wrong. For Thor, it was his past mistakes with Loki. For Clint, his time under Loki's control. For Natasha, no one really knew.

And for Steve, everyone knew never to mention Bucky or Peggy.

"I think we're going to be the only ones for dinner." Steve said now noticing how there was a lack of activity in the area. "Clint and Natasha had a thing. I wonder what it could be…" She added sarcastically, hinting at the obvious. "Bruce is still in the lab, I think. Thor is in New Mexico with a certain Jane Foster and then that leaves us." Steve nodded thoughtfully. "So it does." He said before taking another bite. "And you know, frankly I think this gives me enough time to teach you the ways in modern cinema!" Natasha got up enthusiastically as she put the carton of ice cream back into the freezer. "What do you mean?" He gave her a perplexing look from the couch. She threw a bag of popcorn into the microwave.

"How do you feel about Sherlock Holmes?" She flashed something like a childlike grin in his direction. "I read when I could but understand that I was more into drawing than reading."

* * *

It was about one in the morning when Bruce decided he ought to get a cup of coffee. He surprised to see a few of the lights on before he even got there. He blinked a few times, needing his eyes to adjust to the light. It was then that he took note of two sleeping figures on the couch, and the plethora of objects scattered around the area.

Bruce Banner, prior to that moment, had been the closest to Natasha Stark out of all the Avengers. On occasion, she told of her little habits. Little habits that she usual only showed in comfort. Habits like eating fries with ice cream and having movie marathons when she felt the need to have a little innocent fun. So when Bruce Banner found Natasha sleeping rather cozily next to Steve Rogers, with movies scattered on the coffee table, an empty bag of fast food, and glasses with residues of ice cream, he noticed what Pepper Potts had noticed not too long ago.

He poured himself a cup of coffee, when his cell began to ring. He quickly placed his cup on the counter and picked it up in a hushed tone. "Hello?" He answered, wondering who would be calling at one in the morning. "Dr. Banner, it's Col. Rhodes. I apologize for calling you at such an early hour." Bruce paced himself quietly over to the corridor where he could speak in a normal tone. "Don't worry. When I get involved in the lab I have a sleep schedule like Nat's." He paused, then correcting himself. "Actually it's a lot better than Nat's but you get the point." That earned a chuckle from the other side of the line. "I really do see why she likes hanging out with you a lot. It explains all the late nights of "science bro"ing as she puts it sometimes. But I'm calling to update you on your little favor."

Bruce began making his way towards his room, which was near the corridor thankfully. Upon getting there, he took out a note pad and a pen to write whatever things he needed to write down. "What I'm going to tell you, you can't let her know I told you. She'll take it in her own hands and she is the most compulsive person I have ever met." Bruce nodded, prepared for whatever information he was about to receive. "For a little back history, Obadiah Stane was Howard Stark's right hand man in his later years, he helped the company in his absence and was an alleged 'father figure' to Nat. That all changed when he got greedy. Greedy enough to order the hit on her that ended with her being kidnapped. Obadiah's secret agenda was to kill her, make money with the weapons manufacturer division of Stark Industries, and also to make money by selling to the black market."

Bruce jotted as much information as he could down. "According to public records, Obadiah went missing and never returned. But that's not what happened." He paused, hesitating on whether he should say anything or not. He took a deep breath. "Natasha developed the Iron Man suit when she was in that cave. Obadiah saw it as an opportunity and stole the designs, making his own suit, otherwise known as the Iron Mongor. He needed to be stopped. Natasha donned the Iron Man suit and killed Obadiah Stane." Bruce was somewhat surprised, but at the same time he wasn't. As a scientist he had to practice the skill of being observant. He could only assume that she had been in the Iron Man suit at some point. She knew the suit to well not to have been in there.

"There's someone out there trying to take down Iron Man. And Natasha for good. This guy is out for revenge. And from what I can understand, he's doing things that are beyond insane." Rhodey said, almost shocked that the words were coming out of his mouth. "What are you trying to say, Col.?" Bruce asked, a bit perplexed by the conversation.

"Obadiah Stane had a son. His name: Ezekiel Stane."

**A/N: Guess who's bringing up some comic books stuff? This girl. Right here. Ezekiel Stane is an actual character in the Marvel universe but I suggest not looking him up. It could potentially ruin the plot for you. :O**


	6. Chapter 6: Loki

It was an understatement to say that Natasha Stark's dream was peculiar that night. It was a dream she never had and frankly a dream she hoped would remain hidden. A dream she hoped no one would ever have to know about.

It had been three months since Natasha had seen Loki.

She had been standing in a white room, void of anything descriptive. She could blink and move her eyes and also move her lips, but she couldn't move her body. At first she thought it was a strange nightmare. She didn't know what to think she Loki gracefully walk a few feet in front of her. "We meet again, Natasha Stark." His voice was smooth as he gave her that mischievous smile. "To what do I owe the honor of having the god of mischief and lies in my dreams? Am I just that interesting of a person that you wanted to continue our conversation?" She smirked as her eyes met his. The last time she saw him, they had an ice blue tint to them and yet as he stood before her they were a light green.

"Thor must have mentioned how part of my punishment was to reside on Midgard with you mortals watching over me, yes?" He raised an eyebrow, wondering what exactly the other god had told them. "He may have mentioned it. But that doesn't explain why you're in my dreams… or nightmares… It all depends on what you plan on doing while you're here." Natasha curious more than anything. She wanted an answer. "That day during the invasion," He approached her now with a gold scepter in his hand. It was different than the one the Chitauri had given him. "My powers had no effect on you. I was curious to find out more about the mortal known as Natasha Stark…" A foot away. He was a foot away, as far as she could tell.

Natasha didn't respond, her gaze set firmly on Loki. "Obviously from where we stand it was a bit easy to get into your mind. And might I add how filled your mind is. Much more filled than the average mortal. It never takes a rest, does it?" He mused. "Yeah, it doesn't. it's not really something I can stop unless I take a drink, which I'm trying to ease up on. But frankly you're really tempting me now." Loki stayed silent briefly before raising his scepter and gently tapping Natasha's chest, mimicking the say of the invasion. The same 'clink' sound was made. "I thought perhaps I'd get my answer if I entered your mind, but it seems you keep your secrets not just in your mind, but in your heart. That's a bit more difficult to attain, I'm afraid. It requires a more physical action." He frowned, bringing his face a bit closer to hers. She chuckled bitterly. "Me? A heart? You obviously haven't done your research."

Loki smiled in response. "Nonsense, Stark. Everyone has a heart, even the most broken and lost of creatures. It's what makes them broken in the first place, no?" His voice had become a smooth whisper as he stared at her curiously. "You have secrets locked within your heart and I intend to find them out, Natasha Stark…" He grinned before leaning closer into her. Her eyes widened as Loki firmly placed his lips on hers. His free hand was on the small of her back, pushing her closer. She felt a strange aura around her. Her eyes drooped close and she felt her lips moving against his. In her subconscious, she was pissed.

_Magic… I hate magic so much right now._

His lips froze and he parted from her, a playful look in his eyes. "Or perhaps I should call you Iron Man instead?" She felt her heart drop as Loki said those words. "You lie to your team and lead them to believe that you are just a mortal and yet you fight alongside them in secret. You come off as stubborn and compulsive, and you hide the fact of how… how should I put it…" He flicked the arc reactor gently. "…easily you could be killed. With just one tug on this metal circle from your chest." He grinned widely as he now had the ability to read her so easily. "I thought you came here to finish your punishment, not dissect a 'mere mortal' as you used to put it." He laughed once more. Natasha Stark wasn't used to seeing such a light hearted Loki.

"I am somewhat… reformed. But that doesn't mean I don't like causing mischief. You know, After seeing your past, I thought you'd understand my past self. You mortals would call me the villain, I suppose. Doing what they feel is right in their own minds." He twirled his scepter slowly, waiting for a response. "You're actually right in that assumption. Every villain is a hero in their own mind. I would know. I used to be one. Making weapons that killed thousands and I was proud of it. So yes, I do relate, but I'm so glad you're on the straight and narrow path." She added sarcastically for his benefit. "Many think that the only way to cause mischief is through lies and deceit." He snapped his fingers, Natasha suddenly feeling the ability to move the rest of her body. "But in actuality, one of the best ways to cause mischief is through the truth." Natasha frowned, a bit perplexed by what he was saying.

"You mortals keep balance in the world by lying to one another so that you avoid unpleasantries. If the whole world told the truth, there would be a bit of mayhem because you wouldn't be able to hide behind lies. Everyone would have to share their feelings and sometimes, if not a lot of the time, that can lead to some very awkward or funny situations." He snickered. He blinked briefly, looking up. As if he heard something. "It seems my time with you is up, Natasha Stark. You are being called back to the normal world. You'll be seeing me shortly."

Natasha's eyes opened slowly. She was on her stomach, but leaning on something warm. It smelled like pine needles. "Miss Stark?" She recognized the voice of Pepper Potts, but didn't know why her tone sounded mocking. "What is it, Miss Potts…" She mumbled, still trying to recollect where she was and if the dream she had was. "Well, it's currently eleven right now so I think you should get up and also, you fell asleep with the Captain last night." She sounded as if she were trying to muffle a laugh. Natasha frowned, still not registering. "What are you talking abou-" She paused as she felt whatever she was on slowly move up and down. Breathing. Whatever, or should she say whoever, was breathing. She looked up to see Steve Rogers, not necessarily looking her in the eye but trying to look anywhere but. "Right. We were watching movies. Right…" She said as she sat up, getting off Captain Rogers. "My apologies, Captain. Didn't mean to keep you stranded on the couch." She said as she rubbed her eyes, adjusting to the light. "Good Morning, Miss Stark. If you'll come with me, I'll go over with your schedule for the day and later we'll pick this all up." She snickered. Snickering. First Loki. And now Pepper.

Frankly, Natasha Stark had had enough snickering for one morning.

* * *

Doctor Doom had sent his Doom Bots out, again, causing part of the Avengers to assemble. It had been decided that the Hulk wasn't needed, and Thor was still taking care of business elsewhere. "I'm getting real tired of this guy." Nick Fury sat in the meeting room of the Avengers Tower. He pinched the bridge of his nose. Captain America, Hawkeye, Black Widow and Iron Man sat at the table, waiting for Fury to give his orders. Each one of them had a bit of damage, Iron Man more so than everyone else due to a stunt she had pulled without asking. "And you, tin man." Nick Fury glared at the suit. "I'm sorry, am I supposed to find the eye more menacing or the patch?" She replied with a smirk. "You can't go blowing things up without saying anything." Iron Man chuckled in response.

"Come on, Fury. You know I love blowing stuff up!" She grinned beneath the mask. "I destroyed three at one time so it's all good." Fury gave her that look. Which was more noticeable especially since it was being given with just one eye. She was about to say something, but stopped, seeing no point in continuing. She wanted to go back to the lab. But first, she had to take care of something. Out of that day's events, there was a key component missing: the argument between her and Captain America. It always happened and for some odd reason, he was avoiding Iron Man, maybe saying one thing to her about the order but nothing else. And it bothered her. Something was incredibly wrong. "You're dismissed." Fury said as he too wanted to leave. He was the first to leave, followed by Hawkeye and Black Widow. Just before the Captain could exit, he felt the robot arm tug him on the shoulder.

"Hold up there, Stars and Stripes." She said, pulling him back into the room, causing the door to close. The Captain turned; a bit weary of the situation he was in. He wasn't quite sure how to react anymore around Natasha when she was being Iron Man. "There's something horribly wrong with you. One battle you're yelling at me and now you barely even banter with me. What's wrong?" Steve was taken aback briefly, surprised that she had even noticed the change in behavior. And also surprised at how no one else seemed to notice except the one person he didn't want to notice. "It's nothing, Iron Man. Really. I've just got a few things on my mind. I'll be up on my game next time, I promise." He tried the joke, hoping to lighten the mood. Iron Man sighed, beginning to take her leave. "It's no fun if you're forcing yourself, Cap." Steve was left alone in the room, thinking about what she had last said.

He was put at ease a bit. From what she says, it made him believe that at the very least, they were becoming friends.

As Natasha reached her workshop, and took off the suit, she began sifting through the boxes once more. A few hours passed before she decided she wanted to play some of the old tapes again. She slipped the projector out and watched the one video that seemed to always have an effect on her in some way, shape, or form. It was the video of Howard directing a message for her older self. Natasha sat in the chair, reading through some of his atomic bomb notes as the video played. Howard was trying his City of the Future speech again. "And I would personally like to show you… my ass." She chuckled a bit bitterly at that part. She still had sore feelings for her father, but all the while he was still her father. "Nat, you're too young to understand this right now, so I thought I would put it on film for you." She glanced up at the video, spinning her chair to face the screen. I built this for you. And some day you'll realize that it represents a whole lot more than people's inventions. It represents my life's work. This is the key to the future. I'm limited by the technology of my time, but one day you'll figure this out. And when you do, you will change the world. What is, and always will be, my greatest creation... is you."

She paused the video right there as she poked a bit at her arc reactor. "I'm surprised you rewatched some of the footage." She heard a laugh from the entrance way. Nick Fury had walked in, looking a bit less stressed than he had before. "Unmute. Jarvis, why didn't you tell me Fury was at the door?" She looked up, waiting for a response. "I would have under normal circumstances but you seem to forget you had me on mute, Miss Stark." Natasha frowned as Fury smiled at the response of the AI. "Right…" She nodded, spinning around to her normal position, going through the box again. "You know, when the Captain was asking questions when he first woke up, he asked about a lot of things. The year, what had happened, what happened to Hydra, Miss Carter and Mr. Stark. I told him how Hydra was active in smaller portions. I also told him of became of Miss Carter. And as for Mr. Stark, the best I could tell him was that I knew him professionally and that he passed in the car accident." Natasha gave him a perplexing look. Not sure what he was getting at.

He turned and began to leave the area, but before he exited the door, he added one more thing. "I'm pretty sure he still has a few unanswered questions."

Unanswered questions. It struck Natasha that he was probably right. She went into the box and pulled out a picture she had found an hour prior. It was a picture of her father and Steve standing side by side. She swallowed hard as she stared at the picture. "I owe him at least that much…" she said to herself. "Jarvis, could you call Captain Rogers down please?"

"Yes, Miss Stark."

She stood in the middle of an empty area as Steve came down, a bit curious as to why she called him. There were "Is there something wrong, Miss Stark?" he frowned as he entered the workshop. She paused, not sure of how to start such a conversation. Steve started before she could think of a way. "If this is about the photo I found on my door today, I-"

Natasha frowned in confusion. "What photo?" Steve looked a bit flustered as he pulled from his back pocket a little envelope. Written on the back was a message from Nick Fury that read, "Payback for the 'fighting with one eye' comment." She smirked as the she pulled the single photo out of the envelope. "Oh, how lovely…" Her sarcasm was evident as she stared at the photo. It was a picture of her from when she was eight on the fourth of July in the very same patriotic outfit from her dream. She was posing with a Captain America Shield. She bit her lip at the realization that this photo had probably been sent around to all the Avengers. "Well, yeah, you were my hero growing up. I couldn't really help but be… a bit eccentric." She swallowed hard and didn't meet his gaze as he looked at her. She slipped the photo back into the envelope and gave it back to him. The photo explained the snickering from Pepper, that much was for sure.

Natasha finally had a way of starting. "What did you think of my dad?" Steve gave her a confused look. The fact that she was bringing him up on her own was surreal. "I thought he was a great man. He helped save a lot of people." Natasha wasn't looking at him anymore. She had a more distance stare as she stood profile to him. She waved her hand for him to come closer, as if to show him something. "You were all he talked about when I was growing up. How you were kindhearted, selfless and the bravest man he knew." She said as a number of old posters, pictures and files popped up. They were all from the file Howard had kept of him. "He never stopped looking for you Cap. He was always there when something new came up about where you might be. He always had hope about that. I never really understood until I actually met you."

"You were everything he said you were and more." She still hadn't met his gaze as she sifted through the images. She began pulling up news articles from after his time. Steve looked in awe as the images flashed forward. "After the war, he continued inventing and innovated the world as we know it. He remained building his weapons manufacturer division. And eventually he went on to be a founding member of SHIELD. He also had a nifty plan for the city of the future." She pulled up an image of the "City of the Future" as Steve looked at it. "Whatever happened to it?" he questioned as he slipped his hands into his pockets. Natasha stared at it briefly before answering. "It was a message for me. For when I got older." She flipped the diagram to face them. "When you look at it closer, it's a diagram of a new element. An element that he couldn't exactly synthesize during his time. He wanted me to do it later on. I had no idea of course." She laughed a bit to herself.

"Nick Fury brought it to my attention. Go figure. The original arc reactor was using a palladium core that was killing m-" She stopped, catching herself before she made a mistake. Steve caught it a bit but put it aside. "…killing the Iron Man suit. My father designed a new element for me to synthesis later on that would lead to cleaner technology." She began configuring with the diagram , pushing away all the unneeded pieces until finally she got what looked to be an atom the size of a golf ball. "Watch this…" She said gently before spreading her arms wide open causing the two of theme to be inside of the atom. Blue holographic molecules floated all around them in a perfect sphere. "I know it's a bit hard to see, but what he did was so… phenomenal." Steve looked in awe at the structure around him. He looked down at Natasha to see a sparkle of wonderment in her eyes. A small smile formed on her lips.

"Dead almost twenty years and he's still taking me to school…" She stared at it a bit longer before slowly shrinking it down to the golf ball size. She lifted her hand up for Steve to hold it. He took it cautiously, unsure of what would happen. "Why?" He finally asked, lifting his eyes to meet hers. "Why are you telling me any of this?"

"You wanted to know about Howard, right? We all saw different sides of him. Fury saw the professional side of him. The strategic side of him. You saw the inventive side of him. I saw the business side of him. I figured since you were close to him you ought to know all sides of him too, Captain." She gave him that small side smile and he wouldn't lie, his heart quickened just a bit. He returned the smile. "Steve." He said without exactly thinking. She titled her head, a bit confused. "Steve. Call me Steve." She blinked up at him a bit before relying.

"Only if you call me Nat. Or Tasha. Whatever you prefer."

The holographic filing shut down just as Jarvis began to speak. "Miss Stark. Captain Rogers. Agent Barton is requesting your presence upstairs immediately."

The two power walked up to the lounge where everyone was. "What's wrong?" Steve asked as he looked over at a pouting Barton. "There's something incredibly wrong. I can't lie anymore. I can't be sarcastic. I can't do anything and I don't know why." He ran his hands through his hair as he thumped onto the couch. Natasha smirked and was about to reply with a sarcastic remark herself, but found she was unable to. Her eyes widened as she stood speechless. ",,,He's right. I can't be sarcastic anymore…"

"So wait, none of us can lie anymore?" Steve looked worried as he briefly glanced over at Natasha. _This isn't good…_ He thought to himself. "I know who's up to this…" Natasha muttered loud enough for everyone to hear. "Loki!" She said loudly up in the air, not sure where to direct her anger. "Good thinking, Lady Stark! I do sense my brother's presence in the air. Although he wasn't to return to Midgard till later this eve…" Thor said to himself. "You called, Natasha Stark?" The group turned to see the image of Loki solidify in front of them. "You sounded angry just then." He smiled.

"That because I am angry. I can't be sarcastic or anything and it's killing me on the inside." Loki began to walk towards the group. "But come now, you can't be angry enough to hate me for that? I know for a fact that there's still a part of you that likes me. I learned that much from your dream last night. You also think I have a cute butt but that's beside the point." Clint burst out into laughter as Natasha's face grew a tad bit red. "You were in her dream last night, Brother?" Thor asked from across the room. "You think his butt is cute?" Steve and Romanoff asked at the same time, a mocking smile played on Romanoff's lips as she asked the question. She wasn't able to hide her emotions anymore due to Loki's spell. "Well…Yes, I" She struggled with her sentence, finding it extremely difficult to talk. "I do think his butt his cute but that doesn't really make him any different. I think Steve's butt is cute but that's not going to change anything." Steve shot red at the last part of her sentence. She didn't see as she continued to look at Loki. "And I wouldn't call it a dream so much as a nightmare, Loki." She felt somewhat relieved that she was able to come up with a somewhat witty retort even under his spell.

"Ah, but if I recall you seemed to enjoy the kiss we shared." He mockingly added as her eyes grew wide, unsure how to respond. "You two kissed?" Steve felt an odd feeling in his stomach as he said the question. "You kissed back?!" Barton and Romanoff exclaimed while both trying to conceal their laughter. Bruce crossed his arms uncomfortably. "Am I the only one curious about why he was in her dream?" he muttered to himself, knowing there wasn't much of a point in trying to stop Loki's mischief. "It's difficult not too when he uses magic." She frowned, crossing her arms angrily over her chest. "And to answer your question, Bruce Banner, I was there to find out a bit more about Natasha Stark after being intrigued by our conversation on the roof. Which reminds me, Stark, this spell only ends when you tell the truth." He grinned in her direction.

"What?" She furrowed her eye brows, not sure of he was getting at. He gave him her a look and she automatically knew what he had meant. "Then I won't talk. That simple." She shrugged. Loki laughed in response. "I find that rather hard to believe."

"Just say whatever it is, Stark. We already know about your secret fangirling when you were little." Clint said with a grin as he waved the picture that Steve had shown her earlier. "I was only eight and it was just a crush, get over it." She covered her own mouth at that one as Clint continued to laugh aloud, clearly enjoying Loki's mischief. Steve at his point had begun finding the wall to be a rather interesting thing to stare at as he tried to not make his slightly red face visible. "Alright Loki. I'll say it." Natasha sighed as she turned to the group. A weary look in her eye as her fingers edged towards the end of her sweater, ready to tug it off after she spoke. Everyone looked at her, waiting for what she was about to say. Steve finally caught on to what Loki was insinuating. "Loki wants me to tell you about how I'm-"

Her eyes widened as she felt a hand quickly come over her mouth from behind her, stopping her from saying any more.


	7. Chapter 7: Little Lies

**I know. I know. I went MIA. I usual post these every night but I had a delay and life got in the way and meh. Anyway, here's the answer to all of your guesses! Btw, do you guys like me ending on cliffhangers or would you prefer an answer at the end and then a new chapter? I can never tell, haha. Well, read, review, and I hope you enjoy!**

"Why did you cover my mouth?" Natasha's voice came out muffled against Loki's hand as she looked him, almost cautious of what his next step would be. But Loki wasn't looking down at her at that moment, he was more curious as to why Steve Rogers had approached her with same intent of covering her mouth somehow. His eyes met Steve's for that brief second in time, and they both knew. Loki's lips began to curve upward rather slowly at the realization that the super soldier knew of Stark's secret. Steve registered that Loki knew he knew, his eyes somewhat fearful of what he was going to say.

"What's the matter, Soldier? You've been awfully quiet this whole time." He grinned, waiting for Steve's response. Natasha lifted her hand in attempt to pull Loki's hand off her mouth, but her attempts were futile. "_And to answer your question, Natasha Stark, it's not much fun when you just decide to end the game there. I stopped you from saying it because I see the potential in it. In watching you keep this secret, I think it shall create a bit of entertainment._" Loki's voice echoed in her mind. She grasped again at his hand.

Before Steve could answer though, Thor's voice boomed through the area. "Enough of this, Brother. Relinquish my friends from your spell. I seem to be unaffected by it but so should they." He glared at Loki from across the room. Loki rolled his eyes. "It would affect you, _Brother, _if you told lies on a daily basis. You're foolish enough to always tell the truth." He smirked. "I do not see the problem with honesty." He frowned in response. "_I can see how you two aren't related…" _Natasha thought, knowing that Loki would be able to hear her. Loki smiled in response. "I will stop the spell, Thor. I do believe I have caused enough mischief for now." His free hand snapped and an audible sigh could be heard from Clint. Natasha's grasp at Loki's hand seemed to work as his hand slowly lower from her face under her discretion.

"I am not happy with your mischief, Brother, but I am happy to see you in such high spirits." Thor grinned as he approached Loki, enveloping him in a hug. Loki squirmed with distaste. Natasha let out a sigh of relief. "So Pointe Break, how is this whole thing working out? Natasha asked as she took a position at the counter next to Bruce, refusing to stand next to Steve or to sit next Clint. "Father has said that he is to live on Midgard with us watching over him. I was hoping to ask of you if it would be alright to house him here with us since we'd always be here to watch him, Lady Stark." He looked at her with hopeful eyes. It was weird watching a god give her a puppy dog look. She glanced over Clint and Natasha whose faces her devoid of any emotion. Her second glance was over at Bruce, who merely shrugged. Her third and final glance was at Steve, who had his jaw set and a look of warning in his eyes. It was clear he didn't want the god of mischief near him. Steve especially didn't want him around if he knew Steve knew about things he ought not to know.

Natasha had her own opinion of Loki. "It's fine by me." She said just as his eyes met hers. Loki's green eyes bore into her own brown eyes, neither one daring to blink. "Thank you so much, Lady Stark! We are _both_ grateful for hosting a living quarters. Would you mind showing Loki around so he doesn't get lost?" Both her and Loki smiled at what he had said, finding his statement a bit too ridiculous. She waved her finger in his direction, signaling for him to follower her into the corridor. "You guys can start dinner without me. I'm skipping today." She said nonchalanty as Loki approached her. Bruce sighed. "Nat, coffee is not considered a meal."

"It is if I'm working on stuff, Bruce." She replied as she turned to the group for one last time. "I'm afraid he's right, Nat. You need to start taking care of yourself a bit better." Steve added, realizing how weird it was to start calling her Nat. It was in a good way though. He liked it. She gave him a smile. "Steve, I'll be fine." She said before walking out, Loki close on her tail. As the door closed, the whole group gave Steve a look of disbelief and confusion. "What?" He asked, perplexed by the unwanted attention.

"She called you Steve." Bruce gave him a soft smile.

"And you called her Nat." Clint said as he gave him a wryly smile.

Steve bit his tongue before turning away to go to the kitchen, hoping his easily tinted face wouldn't be showing. "You like her, don't you?" Clint jumped up from the couch, still looking at him with mocking eyes. "I- I like her as a person." Steve tried to firmly say, his head still in the fridge, not looking for anything in particular. He decided on pulling out a soda. "Oh if only Loki's spell were still working. Because that, my friend, is a blatant lie." Clint grinned, clearly over amused. "I'm telling the truth. I don't like her." Thor laughed at his response. "Clearly you have some sort of attraction to Lady Stark." He grinned widely. "And you did seem rather bothered by my brother's closeness to her."

"Guys, come on. Let's stop bothering him. If he says he doesn't, then he doesn't." Bruce smiled in a knowing way, obviously not believing Steve's attempts either. "How is this whole Loki think working, Thor?" Bruce asked, changing the subject off of Steve. "I thought that perhaps we could all take turns watching over him in the day. And when in his quarters, the being otherwise known as Jarvis could watch over him." He said as he scratched the lower part of his jaw. "That would be a possible plan." The AI replied after a second delay. The rest of the group nodded in agreement.

* * *

Meanwhile , Natasha was beginning to show Loki around the main floors.

"All of our rooms are on the same floor, do you want your room anywhere specific?" She asked, turning around. Loki smirked. "I would prefer to not have quarters next to Thor, if possible…" He muttered. She nodded knowingly. "Well, there's a room across from mine, or between Widow and Hawk. Your choice." She gestured towards the two choices. Loki was processing the two options when Natasha turned to her room, entering briefly. Loki followed while still making his decision. Loki observed how untouched her room looked. "You don't come here often, I presume."

"Not much. Usual in the lab or I crash someplace random, which is surprising when I do. I'm not really one for sleep." She said as she sifted through a box in the closet. She pulled a piece of paper out, quickly glimpsed at it, and then pushed it back in. "Of my two options, I think I prefer the room across from yours. Sleeping next to either assassin would be a foolish decision, I believe." He nodded as Natasha walked past him, exiting the room while he followed. "Great, here's your room. There's a key pad on each room and each room has a specific code. Only you, myself, and Coulson will have access to your room. Do anything you want to it. Any questions?" She turned on her heel and faced him. He seemed to be processing something in his mind.

"Why do you hide your identity from your team? Why are you doing any of this?" He pressed his lips firmly together, as if trying to figure it out for himself. Natasha frowned, leaning against the wall. "I don't think that's any of your concern." She smirked. Loki quirked an eyebrow, mischief sparkled in his eyes as he leaned one hand against the wall. His 6'2" figure clearly emphasized as he stood in close proximity to her. "Do you really want me to find out for myself?" He grinned, looking down to see her reaction. The two locked eyes, unmoving. Natasha broke the silence with a sigh.

"I don't want anyone to die anymore because of me."

Loki was taken aback by the statement, surprised that the mortal even bothered to respond. The two paused before she ducked under his arm, leaving the closed area he had made for the two of them. "And the second question?" He seemed relaxed in her presence. It was an ease he wasn't quite used to. Her lips pressed firmly against each other forming a thin line. She pursed her lips before responding. She was about to walk away, but she answered him nonetheless.

"Redemption."

* * *

For the first half the night, she spent it in the workshop with Bruce Banner.

She had headphones on and AC/DC was blasting loudly through them. As Bruce was using the torch to weld a piece of metal, a little spark flew onto his hand, burning him. "Shit…" He took deep breaths just as Natasha was turning around. She unplugged her headphones. "Dum-E, first aid kit, please." She said nonchalantly as she rolled her chair over to Bruce's. "You weren't wearing gloves." She stated, not really expecting much of a response. "Thanks, Nat, I realize that." He replied dryly, earning him a small smile from her. Dum-E reached over, dropping the box into her lap. Natasha grunted in reply, glaring at the robot as it rolled away. "I swear, I'm going to donate that thing to a community college." She grumbled as she opened the box, sifting through it.

"You always say that."

She wasn't paying attention as she finally found the spray. "Pepper was telling me about a gala tomorrow." Bruce brought up, making conversation from the silence. "Yeah, it's the huge charity thing. It's supposed to be a masquerade thing too but I doubt people actually care about masks. " She smiled a bit at the irony. "The Tool's going to be there, the-"

"The Tool?" Bruce gave her a confused look. "Justin Hammer…" She rolled her eyes, Bruce gave her back the spray to put in the box he nodded in understanding. She pulled out bandages. "You have to bring a date to it too." She chuckled in response while wrapping his hand. "She says that but I don't think so. It was easy back in the day when-" She paused, stopping herself from letting her secret slip. She was going to say before she got the arc reactor, she would gotten a date easily. Grab a hot guy, go on the date, sex later, then the next day would happen. The arc reactor made her love life a different thing entirely. "When I didn't much care about sex and things. Nowadays guys want it to end in sex and frankly I'm a bit more careful about who I let into my house." _Good Natasha. Good cover up._ She thought herself.

"And yet you let Loki in." She looked up to see a taunting smile. "He's the exception."

"Well, as for your date situation, why not invite Steve?" His tone was light and at the mention of his name, her stomach flipped. She ignored it. "Steve doesn't seem to be the party type. And I don't blame him. I love the thrill but some of the people are assholes. More so than myself and that's saying something." She closed the box of the first aid kit before putting it to the side. "I'm good without a date. Besides, I plan on bringing Rhodey with me." Bruce gave her another questioning look. "Pepper likes Rhodey. Rhodey likes Pepper. Pepper deserves to have some fun every once in a while." She grinned. "So do you though." Bruce replied quickly, locking eyes with her. She smiled, an underlying bitterness underneath it, unseen by Bruce._ Self-destructive, selfish and outrageous fun? Done it._

"I've already had all my fun, Bruce."

* * *

The second half of her night was spent with Pepper Potts.

"You like him, Nat, admit it!" Pepper accused Natasha with a wide grin on her face. They were in Pepper's room, she sat at the desk in the corner while Natasha lay flat on her back on the floor. With the door locked, she felt safe enough to be wearing her fitted Black Sabbath shirt and a pair of old, ripped jean shorts. Natasha sounded peeved. "If you're going based off of the ludicrous photo of an eight year old girl who didn't know what she doing, then yeah, you caught me. But if you're going off of anything actually relevant, than I must dub you as insane as Loki." She said adamantly, her hands were covering her eyes in an attempt to gather her thoughts."There's no denying it. Look, here are the facts." Pepper replied as she sat next to her. "You did movie night with him." She began writing things down on a small notepad. Every reason she gave, Natasha was a reason to contrast with her. "I've done movie night with other people, Pep. He's no different." Natasha threw a pillow over her head. "Yeah, but you watched Sherlock Holmes while eating fries and ice cream. You don't do that with other guys." She grinned in triumph. Natasha grunted, lifting the pillow just a bit so that her response wouldn't be muffled by the pillow. "It was a one-time thing. Steve just happened to walk in and-"

"You're calling him Steve."

Natasha moved the pillow from her head, blinking at her statement. Unsure how to respond. "And?" She mentally facepalmed herself at how her defense was slowly crumbling. Pepper smiled widely. "And he's calling you "Nat" and you think his butt his cute and I think you two are adorable and-" A pillow in the face was what it took to hush Pepper. Natasha repeated her earlier action of covering her face with her hands. Pepper put the pillow and spoke with a bit more composure. "All I'm saying Nat is that you deserve a chance to be happy. And I think there's a chance for that to happen when you're with Steve." She placed the pillow on Nat's chest; she hugged it protectively in response.

* * *

"It's always a pleasure." Natasha grinned, shaking the hand of yet another person she didn't care much for. Parties were one thing. At the very least she could have fun. This was just polite torture. "Come on, you've got one hour left." Pepper nudged her from the side. She looked over, the light from the ceiling easily reflecting off of her white mask. "You've always been able to work off blue clothes. I wanna be able to work off blue." Natasha pouted as she referenced Pepper's blue flowing dress. Pepper pulled lightly at the rubber band holding Natasha's gold mask on, causing it to smack against her skin. "Yeah, but you've had dibs on red. I can't pull of red so stop being greedy." She smirked in response while giving a light reference to the red flowing dress she had. Custom made, as always.

"Was there any reason I had to be here?" She asked wearily as she tugged gently as a part of her dress. "You seem to forget often that you're the CEO of-" Natasha lifted her head as she nodded, knowing exactly how her statement was going to end. "Yes, yes, I know. I can't just have someone down here representing me? Money helps with that. I could be in the lab and then bam, everyone is happy." She looked hopefully at Pepper who continued to give her what she referred to as the Nick Fury look. Tilted head down, wide eyes look of expectation. Natasha sighed. "Fine…" She looked up discreetly over at the bar, noticing a rather dashing man otherwise known as Rhodey. He stood at the bar right where she had planned on him standing. "Hey Pep, while under house arrest can you at the very least get me a drink? I've been sober the whole night." She gave Pepper puppy dogs eyes until she finally gave in. Just as her back was to Natasha, Natasha grinned in triumph, moving behind a pillar so that she couldn't be seen.

"Scotch, on the rocks, please?" Pepper asked the bartender politely. Her voice immediately caught Rhodey's attention. "I'm guessing she's not that far behind?" Rhodey raised an eyebrow jokingly, his statement earning a laugh from Pepper. "How can you tell?" She smiled. "And you'd be correct. But she's not here on her own free will, mind you." Rhodey nodded, expecting only as much. "Well for one, you like your martini's dry. With extra olives. You're not much of a scotch fan. And two, that's only to be expected." He smiled. "Where is she anyway?" He added, noticing the lack of snark in their conversation. "Oh she's…" Pepper paused, now noticing the empty spot. She frowned. "She was right there."

"I wouldn't worry too much. Someone probably pulled her off to talk or flirt or dance or God knows what. But in the meantime…" Rhodey turned completely to face Pepper. He extended one arm up, his hand open for the space of another to fill. His other hand referenced the dance floor. "I was wondering if I could have this dance?" She placed her hand in his as he lead her out. Pepper's thinking paused, before realizing the trap she had fallen for. She'd have to get Natasha back for it later.

After she thanked her though.

Natasha crept out of the shadows as she watched the two walk out onto the floor. "How about that." She smiled to herself, knowing well enough that Pepper must have known of her plan at that point. She had an hour left of torture and now she didn't know what to do. The only people to talk to, she had forcibly… well, gently nudged them away to have a bit of fun on their own, and now she'd have to suffer the intolerable conversations alone. Her stomach stirred at the voice that appeared from behind her. It was light in tone as he chuckled before his statement.

"It's a rare sight seeing you without Pepper or Rhodey at these things."

**A/N: Yeah, I'll leave you guys to guess who that is. :)**

**And on another note, I don't know when the next chapter will be. I start school in a week and I have two books to read with annotations. Let's just say I have a lot of speed reading to do. I'll try and update as I can!**


	8. Chapter 8: Call me Captain

**Hi there. So for this chapter, I'm establishing that a few things went differently in Iron Man 2. I'm making Stark a bit younger because I wanted to close the age difference between her and Cap, etc, etc. You know what things by the time you finish reading but I'll clarify at the end. :)**

Across town in an underground base of Hydra, the lights flashed on. About fifty or so Hydra Agents and one man walked to the middle of the room, where smoke was rising from the ground. From the smoke, someone stood tall and proud, relieved having not been injured or impaired from a Hydra experiment. "How do you feel?" The lone man amongst the agents asked. He was young for his age, only a bit older than 25, he wore a tailored suit but had messy dirty blond hair. "I feel great." The man from the experiment grinned. He too was a bit young to be standing in a Hydra plant, he couldn't be a day over 26.

The dirty blond haired man grinned back, seeing his plans come to fruition. "And you're newly acquired power is still intact, which means my plan can go on this evening. Nice work." He referenced to the man from the smoke. Chad gave him a wryly smile before using his new power. His appearance morphed into someone entirely different. His voice changed along with it. A mischievous smirk played on his lips. One that didn't quite suit the new person he had morphed into. The dirty blond haired man eyed the newly transformed man. His skill was definitely perfected. "The gala event ends around 1 in the morning, so we need to rush. Are you ready, Chad?" 'Chad' still held the mischievous smirk. One that would send chills to anyone who saw.

"Please, call me Captain."

* * *

"It's a rare sight seeing you without Pepper or Rhodey at these things."

Natasha Stark pressed her lips firmly together at the sound of that voice. She had been a mechanic since the age of three and yet she still at the age of 24 she had a certain dislike for certain "tools." He took a deep breath before turning around, not even bothering to hide the snark in her expression. It wasn't hard to tell it was him behind the black mask he wore. Hammer held out the extra drink in his hand towards her. She gladly took it. "You're wearing a mask but you're the only one that would wear your hair down that wildly to a gala. You're fanclub is missing, Stark. Did they find a new and better toy?" He grinned..

"Not at all, Hammer. I sent them off to have a bit of fun. I don't see your fan cl- Oh, wait. Awkward." She shrugged, taking a sip of her drink, the alcohol finding its way down her throat. Hammer chuckled a wearisome laugh.

It was going to be a long night.

* * *

In a car on its way to the event, three men sat in the back of a black car, driven by Happy Hogan. "I get why you two are here, but why am I going?" Bruce frowned, tugging a bit at his bow tie. "I'm here for security detail, seeing as how she still wants to go prancing around even with a bounty on her head…" Clint rolled his eyes. "You're here to keep me company and Steve's here to go be a knight in shining armor." He gave a wryly grin in his direction, causing Steve to somewhat flush. "You said I was coming to keep you company."

"No no no, that's Bruce's job. You're here to go and flirt with Natasha."

"We're not like that…" Steve looked away, focusing his eye sight on something other than Clint, who had been sitting across from him. "But you like her, you're not denying now." Clint flashed a grin that reminded Steve of the way Natasha smiled when something mischievous happened. "It's okay to like her, Steve." Bruce gave him a pat on the shoulder. "We're here to help. Be.. wingmen of sorts." He tugged at his tie again. The car began to pull up to a curve, slowly coming to a stop. "Before we go, we need these." He held up three masks for each of them. "I call the purple." Clint easily grabbed onto the purple on, as Bruce slowly took the green one, leaving Steve with the final red mask. "It's weird getting to put a mask on for once." Bruce chuckled to himself, the green mask bringing out the green in his eyes. Clint grinned.

"We look very becoming, gentlemen."

* * *

"Natasha, have you met a close friend of mine? This is Christian Everheart." A man with dirty blond hair appeared beside him. A familiar face to Natasha Stark. "Actually we have met before. Christian." She gave a polite nod, he returned it. "My bud Christian here is doing an entire spread about me. Did you know that?" Hammer gave that fake, in your face, laugh that really annoyed Natasha to no end.

"Really, because he did a rather large spread on me not too long ago." She grinned mischievously before adding. "And an article." Everheart scratched at the nape of his neck awkwardly, a mild blush forming on his face. It took Hammer a few more second to understand the implied meaning of her words. "I've got… to go over there, briefly." Everheart nodded awkwardly before walking off. Hammer sighed before gulping his full drink. "You're a real piece of work, you know?"

"I try my best." A waiter walked by and she placed her empty drink on a platter, he followed suit. "Before I go, I think it'd be rude of me to leave without asking and I do like to be a gentleman, even if it is with you, Stark." She hated his tone. And everything about him. She raised an eyebrow, unsure of what he could ask that would determine if he were a gentleman or not. "May I have this dance?" She inwardly frowned as he offered his hand out for her to take. _"That only determines that you're a tool…"_ Her thoughts concluded. Nonetheless, she accepted his offer as he lead her out onto the floor. She glanced around and noticed that Pepper and Rhodey were no where to be found.

"_At least they're having fun."_ She felt reassured with that thought as she felt Hammer's hands snake to the small of her back, she lifted her arms to go around his neck. The height difference was only a little bit substantial. "I'm surprised you didn't go with your usual color scheme." Hammer said sarcastically as he tried to start conversation. She rolled her eyes. "I can't help it if I like the colors. I'm not a one to be subtle. I prefer something a bit more bold." Hammer nodded. "That Iron Man suit of yours is a piece of work. How long did it take for you to make it?" She wanted the night to end. She wanted to anything other than dance with Justin Hammer. She would rather be in the lab alone. She'd rather be in the lab with Bruce. She'd rather be watching movies all night with Ste-

She blinked a bit at her last thoughts, unsure of how it had gotten there. That shouldn't have been an option. She wasn't supposed to be getting close to anyone. Becoming close friends with Bruce was her one mistake but other than that, she was supposed to keep a distance. She wasn't allowed to get attached to anyone.

Especially not Steve.

She had a peace with Bruce because in some form or way, he was indestructible with the Hulk on his side. He wouldn't be able to die because of her. Everyone else, on the other hand, was on a tight rope if she got any closer. She zoned back to reality just in time to answer Hammer's question. "Three months." She locked eyes with him briefly. "Honestly it felt like I was in a cave designing that thing, but it got done and bam: you've got Iron Man." She smirked.

Clint, Bruce and Steve all arrived in the main room where the people were all arranged in different areas. Black tuxes and dresses of all colors could be seen. "I see her plan worked." Bruce said to himself as his gaze fell on Pepper Potts and Rhodey. Who were speaking casually. "I thought he was her date tonight." Clint added, wondering why Natasha was nowhere in sight. "She invited Rhodey along so that she could set the two up." Bruce nodded. Steve frowned. "So she's alone then?"

"Or with a tool…" Clint glared as he took in the two dancing. Both Clint and Bruce waited for a response from Steve, who could only stare. "What are you waiting for?" Clint was getting impatient with Steve at this point. "They're dancing, I'm going to interrupt them." He frowned. Bruce began pushing gently against Steve's back, ushering him forward onto the dance floor.

"That's why you ask, Captain Rogers."

Steve approached to the two cautiously before clearing his throat. He stood in a soldier's posture, his hands were behind his back. Hammer gave him a quizzical look, not knowing who the man was. Natasha turned around with a thoughtful look before her eyes met with Steve's It was a mixture of relief and panic that she felt in her stomach. Relief because she wouldn't have to be with Hammer anymore. That she could be with someone she liked. Panic because it was someone she was beginning to like too much. "I was wondering if I could dance with her next, Mr…" Clint nor Bruce had been kind enough to tell Steve his name. "Hammer. Justin Hammer." By the tone of his voice, Steve was beginning to not like the man in front of him. "Captain Steve Rogers." Out of forced politeness, the two shook hands before Hammer gestured to him that Natasha was all his before walking away. "Captain Steve Rogers, I'm not lying when I say I'm surprised." She gave him a genuine smile that sent his heart speeding. His artist's eye couldn't miss the way she looked that night either. How the dress hugged her curves perfectly, how the dress covered her reactor rather well, or how the gold mask accented her large brown eyes. "I know I'm not the dance partner you expected, but I'd still like to be your partner."

There was a soft look in her eyes before she nodded. She paused briefly before Steve began taking her in a position that was different than the one Hammer had done. One hand was on the small of her back, the other was laced with her hands. She caught on quickly that it meant her free hand was supposed to go on his shoulder. "What brings you here to the gala, Steve?"

Steve thought momentarily before answering. "Bruce said you could use a little company." He smiled down at her it and it sent butterflies aflutter in her stomach. "I'll have to thank for it later. You helped me get out of a horrible dance a few minutes ago." He laughed in response as the two swayed. "I didn't get a good vibe from that guy. You two are friends or…" She looked up at him and gave him that Nick Fury look. He found that he couldn't stop smiling when he was with her. Whether it be because of something she said or from just being with her, he couldn't stop smiling. And the strange thing was that she felt the same way. She didn't show it, but she did. And that scared her immensely. Something came to her mind that she had been needing to mention to Steve, just to see if her father's stories proved to be true. "Hey Steve… fondue?"

Steve blinked and blushed ferociously, causing a wide grin from Natasha. "Sorry, I had to try. Howard told the story once and I wanted to see if it was true." She laughed a bit at Steve's expense, but he nonetheless looked down and smiled back.

Before either one realized it, their foreheads had met and the two were centimeters from each other. She wanted to kiss him. So badly did she want to kiss him. The way his blue eyes entrapped her within a moment's notice was intoxicating, the way everything seemed to be okay when he was around, the way he looked at her as if he saw something more. All of it and more just wanted to push her to kiss him. "Let's go outside…" Natasha whispered, dazed, it seemed almost out of character for her. The walked outside onto a balcony, the blue night sky was clear. Natasha stood nearby the door as Steve continued to make his way towards the balcony, leaning against the edge.

"I'm glad one thing hasn't changed…" He said, looking up at the sky with a nostalgic look. As the silence between the two began to grow, Natasha couldn't help but stare at the man out of time. She walked over to the little bench on the side and sat down. She looked away quickly when she noticed he was beginning to walk towards her, he sat down only a centimeter or two away. She looked up at him with doe like eyes, expressionless in a way, as if she were trying to decide what to feel and or what to say. And it was true because she was trying to decide. She was torn between involving him and not. "Did you want to talk out here about something?" His voice was low in a whisper, trying to shatter the crafted silence they had made. The two were slowly inching towards one another, whether they realized it or not. But before anything could happen, Natasha needed to come clean. She knew that. If she was going to involve him, she needed to be honest with him. About every little thing. "Steve… I have to tell you something. You're going to be completely frustrated and angry about it but I have to tell you." Steve's eyes widened, realizing where she was going with her statement.

"The truth is… I am–"

She never got to finish because someone called Steve's name out. The two jumped in response at the sight of a waiter, with a little slip of paper. Steve turned around just as Natasha froze in fear, realizing what she was about to say. She had been so close to letting it all out. She couldn't do it. She was thankful for the interruption. "Someone out front is asking for you, Captain Rogers. He says he's an agent?" The waiter was a bit confused , but the two Avengers knew what he was talking about. Steve stood up as Natasha did before turning to her once more, a meek smile on his face. "Thanks for dance." He grinned widely before walking out to meet whoever it was that needed him.

Natasha remained still, taking deep breaths every so often. She had been about to kiss Steve Rogers. She had been about to tell him everything had it not be for the interruption. She hadn't been that confused since the time she thought she was dying from palladium poisoning.

She really hated galas.

Rhodey and Pepper Potts had decidedly sat down for a chat, laughing and talking like a real date should be. Rhodey's phone began to ring, causing him to frown but Pepper didn't mind it at all. Rhodey excused himself. "Col. Rhodes speaking." He said firmly before the AI voice of Jarvis appeared on the other line. "Good Evening Col. I presume everything is going well?" Rhodey chuckled. Of course Natasha would tell her AI everything. "Yes, it actually is, but I'm pretty sure you aren't calling to check in on a date." He laughed. "I'm afraid not sir. I have some alarming news about the bounty on Miss Stark. It's been taken down." Rhodey frowned as he heard that. "That's not a good sign. It's only ever taken down for two reasons…"

"Yes, Sir. The first being that if they successfully killed Miss Stark, which my sensors indicate they haven't or two…" The AI didn't finish before Rhodey finished for him.

"They figured out a way to do it themselves…"

* * *

Steve walked to a corridor where private phone was. Perplexed, he saw a red light and assumed the held call was for him. Just as his hand reached out for it, a familiar screech hit his ear drums, causing him to fall on the floor. He couldn't move anything other than his eyes. The screeching stopped and two men lifted him up, their shoulders under his arm. Two figures walked out of the shadows, revealing two young men. Before he could make a mental picture, one of the men morphed into the mirror image of him. "I'm sure you remember Hydra agents, yes, Captain America?" Steve would have been on the defensive if he had the chance. "Don't worry about getting back to your date, we have that taken care of." The young man grinned before the faux Captain walked off. The young man who seemed to be in charge turned back to Steve and the two men that held him up.

"Sedate him. We don't want him running off when the paralysis wears off in ten minutes."

**A/N: I am horribly sorry for not updating! I've had so many things to do and I'm sure you don't want to hear about my personal life and it doesn't help that the "w" key on my keyboard isn't working so you can imagine how hard it is to type quickly and have to separately press the "w" key constantly. Kljhsfglkerjh**

**Basically differences from Iron Man 2: Hammer didn't go to jail, age difference, Romanoff never knew that Iron Man and Stark were the same person. Etc. If you have any questions, feel free to ask. :)**

**I'll try to update a bit more quickly, but I won't make any promises. D:  
**


	9. Chapter 9: Fondue

After that night, Natasha Stark hadn't slept.

It was a mixture of fear, nightmares, and a rush of guilt she felt every time she attempted to close her eyes. That, and the fact that she thought she was becoming delusional to a point for two reasons. One being that over the past week, Steve Rogers had been acting odd around her. Odd being defined that he was acting rather bold around her. It was a surge of confidence that would only be seen in his Captain America ego, not the meek and kind Steve Rogers. She thought it may have been just her lack of sleep.

The second pressing matter was that somehow, Loki seemed to be the most observant out of all the Avengers. Especially when it came to her lack of sleep.

Natasha sat in her lab again working on yet another project. The last time she counted, it had been a week in counting since she had fallen under sleep's spell. Her reflexes were on an all time high, she observed, as she flinched and reacted to any little sound that came from behind her. "Miss, it appears Loki is requesting entrance into the lab. It's your turn to watch over him today." Natasha ran a hand through her hair, clearly not having any concept of time. "Yeah, let him down." She said nonchalantly, waiting for the god to make his appearance.

"I now understand what you meant when you said you don't use your chambers often…" His voice slithered into hearing range, Natasha having realized he must have used magic to enter. Of course he would. He technically didn't need to ask Jarvis for permission. It was a formality of politeness that he liked to show with her. It was a formality that he only showed her. "Welcome down, Loki. Make yourself at home, do… whatever." Natasha shrugged, not really paying much attention to his last statement. Natasha paused before making a request for Jarvis. "Jarvis, tint the windows please. And alert me when someone is coming down." She took a long gulp from a thermos that more than likely had coffee in it. The windows began to tint and Loki observed the mortal's actions very closely.

She swung off her sweatshirt revealing a red polo. The glowing light of the arc reactor beneath the light fabric. "Don't you find it exhausting having to constantly hide yourself?" Loki curiously asked. Before she could answer, her phone began to ring. "Speaker phone." She said firmly, Nick Fury's voice rang through the speaker. "Stark, we're assembling down across town. DoomBots are everywhere and the Fantastic Four can't handle it." Natasha sighed, clearly not wanting to go. "On it, give me ten minutes to suit up and get there." She took another long gulp of her coffee from the mug, thankful that someone discovered caffeine. "I think I can leave you alone for a half hour…" She mumbled under her breath as she prepped. She walked behind a thin wall and quickly changed into a black jump suit that clung to her skin. It was supposed to make wearing the suit a bit easier when it came to movement. Loki gave her a sly grin as she walked out.

"You really don't have a sense of self preservation, do you, Stark…" She quirked an eyebrow in his direction, catching his drift. "Well frankly I didn't think I'd be turning on gods of mischief." She grinned back, glad for the banter that she hadn't really had in a while. "Normally I'd have you right here and now but you aren't mine to take." He walked behind her, helping her to zip the back of the jump suit. "I do believe you belong to the soldier out of time, no?" His response earned him a bitter chuckle from the mortal. "I don't belong to anyone. Besides, we aren't a thing." She paused long enough to mumble under her breath.

"Even though I'd want us to be…"

She stretched briefly, knowing very well that she wouldn't be able to in the suit. "Pray tell, what does turn you on, Stark?" He walked in front of her, taking in her weary eyes. "Science. Science turns me on."

Loki frowned in confusion as he watched the suit begin to format its way around her frail body. It finally came to the when the helmet was on, only the face plate up. Her stature was one where their eyes met.

He waited for the process to finish before voicing his thoughts. "If Science turns you on, then why aren't you with the Doctor?"

* * *

As the Avengers went to fight crime, the real Steve Rogers woke up in glass containment. His throat was dry and his body ached from having not moved. His vision blurred briefly before it finally stabilized into one firm picture. "Where am I…" His voice came out edged from having not been used. He looked over to his right to find a bottle of water waiting for him. He drank it quick and heavily. "Nice to see you're finally awake."

Steve turned towards the voice to see the young man with dirty blond hair from before. He was dressed a bit more casually now, a button down collared shirt and a pair of jeans. "Captain America, it truly is an honor." Steve frowned at the use of his name, he approached the glass with a firm look. "Who are you? Why have you brought me here?" The young man chuckled before responding. "The name is Ezekiel Stane. You can call me Zeke though. And as for why I brought you here, you're merely bait for something far bigger than you realize." He paused, letting Steve have a moment to voice any questions he might have had.

"Simply put: I'm out for revenge on Stark and her little body guard."

He looked behind him, referencing a large screen that showed the Avengers in battle. Including the faux Captain. "I have had him place cameras all around the Tower, as well as plant a camera in the shield so that I have eyes and ears everywhere. The only place I don't have eyes and ears are the private places, like Stark's labs and such. My signal could be traced from there. But I don't think I need it." He grinned in Steve's direction, hoping got see a look of some horror. Steve knew better though. He kept his face stone cold. On the inside, he was horrified. But he kept it void of any emotion on the outside. "And your team is buying it completely."

Steve remained silent, simply pulling up the single chair in his confinement. There was a plate with a simple meal on the side, along with a drink. The only thing Steve could do was sit and watch. In the deep subconscious of his mind, he hoped Natasha would be able to see through it all. She always saw through people. He only hoped that she'd be able to see through the fake Captain as well. "What exactly is you r plan to get to Miss Stark?" The question surprised Stane, he wasn't expecting any sort of response. "I thought it was obvious…" He frowned, now facing him completely. Steve was a tad bit perplexed by his next statement. A mixture of nausea and confusion filled his stomach.

"I'm using you to get to her. You're the one she likes…"

* * *

"Loki… get it off me!" Loki turned quickly at the sudden presence of Iron Man in the lab. The voice was masculine but he knew it was Stark underneath. He rushed over to her short circuiting suit and got the helmet off. "Is there something wrong with your armor, Stark?" He frowned, noticing the electrical sparks coming from her right arm. She looked out of breath before she quickly toggled enough to get the right arm glove off. She calmed down a bit, noticing the damage to her upper arm. It had been gashed by a DoomBot, the dagger cutting through her armor and into her skin. Blood had gotten into the circuits, causing a malfunction.

Loki paused momentarily, before helping her get the rest of her armor off. The only left being the black jump suit with a large gash in her upper arm. "Stark, I must suggest you rest after an injury like that…" He frowned, taking in how she slumped to the ground, heavily bleeding as she reached for the first aid kit. "Even if I could do that, I need to fix my damn arm…"She grumbled. Before opening the box, Loki's hand stopped her. "Forgive me, Stark, but I find it a bit unpleasant to see you in such a state…" He lifted his hand to her forehead and before any action could be made, her eyes began to droop, her body slowly slumping to the ground.

"Do not fret, Jarvis, I have merely put her to sleep. There's no need to call Fury for assistance." Jarvis didn't answer, which Loki hoped would be a sign that he believed the god. Loki fixed her position and began a spell that would help to mend her arm.

"You are so smart and yet so foolish…"

Natasha woke up a few hours later with Loki beside her. It was odd to see the god's face so at ease. She felt a little bruised on the arm that was supposed to be gushing blood, but looked to find Loki's soft grip around it, the cut merely a long red mark. "You can be really charming when you aren't plotting evil deeds…" She said to herself in a low whisper. She got up slowly, being ever so careful to lift his hand and place it to the ground. She found a pillow and a cover located on the other side of lab. She placed the pillow under his head and the covers over his long figure. He curled into a ball in response to the added comfort, still not quite awake yet.

"Hey Jarvis…" She whispered loud enough for the AI to here, but not for Loki to wake up. "He kind of looks like a cat. What do you think of the name Lokitty?" A mischievous grinned spread across her face, once that could easily rival Loki's. She took out her phone and snapped a picture briefly before the AI answered. The AI replied with equal hushed tone and a tint of humor was existent in his answer.

"I find it rather amusing, Miss, Stark."

She looked herself over noting that she still had on her black suit. Opting to not walk out of the lab like that, she chose a pair or jean shorts, a t-shirt, and an undershirt that was thick enough to cover the reactor's shape and glow. She walked out of the lab quietly, only to note that the tower was oddly silent. She heard a rather ecstatic voice coming from the lounge. It sounded like Steve.

"And then Bucky and I went to the Stark Expo and-" He paused, noting the sudden presence of the female genius. "Natasha!" He grinned widely. Natasha inwardly frowned at the use of her full name. Steve never called her that. It was always Nat, Tasha, or Miss Stark. But never Natasha. "We're telling old stories, how about you join us?" The other Avengers had gathered around, including Bruce, much to Natasha's surprise. "Ah, you know, I think I'm good." She shrugged, feeling a weird aura in the air. Something wasn't sitting right with her. It felt a bit surreal. "You've been stuck in that lab all day. We've been fighting DoomBots all day. I say.." He gently tugged on her arm, causing her to share a seat with him. His hand slid down and remained on her hand. "You should take a seat and relax a bit."

Natasha didn't like this one bit. "Lady Stark, the Captain is right. You deserve some relaxation from working in your quarters for so long. Even Bruce Banner has joined us!" Bruce gave a meek smile before Natasha sighed, realizing she didn't have much of a choice. "Alright, I'll stay." The team sat around for a few hours, taking a few drinks, having a few snacks and just talking. It was a bonding of sorts to say the least. As tempted as Natasha was to take a drink, she knew better. She needed to remain sharp. She still felt something odd about the whole thing. There was just something off whenever she looked Steve in the eye. The look he gave her wasn't genuine. It almost had an underlying hint of menacing.

"Hey guys, I'm going to turn in to the nest, as you put it Stark." Clint chuckled a bit before letting out a yawn. "Me too. I think we all need a bit of rest." Romanoff added before following behind Clint. Thor and Bruce had fallen asleep on the other side of the lounge. Thor having taken alcohol and Bruce having been the third sober person. The other two being the Captain and Natasha.

"And then there were two of us." Steve laughed as he placed a hand on Natasha's shoulder in a 'friendly' way. It wasn't right. Steve didn't normally take advantage of formality. "The last of a great species." Natasha added, playing along in the game. "How about night seeing as how we're the only two sober enough to do so." He gave a wide grin that reminded Natasha of an expectant child. "Sure, why not." She returned the smile, moving over on the couch to get up and see what would be appropriate. "Are you in the mood for anything?" She said as she looked on the shelf at the list of movies she had. Jarvis had digital copies but the list was still helpful. The faux Captain took a moment as he took in her full figure, staring at the curves she had to offer. At first, 'Chad' hadn't been really up to being a part of this mission, but now that he was on it, he was beginning to see the perks of seducing Natasha Stark. "Anything really, except a war movie." A subtle joke. "A horror flick, sci-fi, a romantic comedy, you name it." Natasha blinked a bit at his last suggestion. She felt it in her gut that something was terribly wrong.

* * *

At some point, Steve Rogers had fallen asleep in the glass containment. He had expected paranoid nightmares or nostalgic dreams of his past because frankly, a part of him still didn't feel like he belonged. But instead found himself in the company of Natasha Stark. The two were sitting in her lab. It was odd to say the least because She was talking exuberantly about something. More than likely it was about science, she had that sparkle in her eye and that small smile as she kept looking at him. But was struck him wasn't the fact that he couldn't hear a thing but his own thoughts or that everything else around him was oddly silent. What struck him odd was the weird sensation he felt in the pit of his stomach as he looked her in the eye. His eyes were locked with her wild and energetic eyes. It was a familiar feeling. A feeling he hadn't felt in a long time.

When he looked in her eyes, he felt like he was home.

Not home being the past, but a place he belonged. Where if he didn't get to see her every day or hear her talk or see her smile, the day would have been a day wasted. Nothing else really mattered. He placed a hand under her chin, causing her to stop talking. However long they stayed like that felt like an eternity as Steve leaned in.

Sadly, it was just a dream.

Steve's eyes woke up opened slowly, a slight disappointment overcame him at the realization that it had been a dream and that he was still locked inside glass containment. He paused briefly as he sat up, thinking about what the dream could have meant. It only took him a moment to recollect the dream in its entirety and to come to one solution.

He had fallen in love with Natasha Stark.

It was the only explanation to the feeling he felt and how it felt so real. It was the only reasonable conclusion. He would have spent more time on it had it not been for the sound of his own laughter coming from the screen. He turned to find Natasha and Faux Steve alone in the lounge. With the exception of a sleeping Thor and Bruce. Steve stared attentively at the two, worried about what would happen if he looked away. "Are you in the mood for anything?" Her voice. It was nice to hear her voice again. In real life. Before the Faux Steve replied, Real Steve made note of how the Faux Steve took his time looking at Natasha from head to toe. He frowned, a anger boiling in his stomach. "Anything really, except a war movie." A subtle joke. "A horror flick, sci-fi, a romantic comedy, you name it." Steve pleaded in his mind that she'd see through it. She was in danger. They were all in danger and no one was being the wiser. It was then that a chord of hope was struck with Steve Rogers as Natasha replied with a random comment. She turned to be looking at him, her eyes feigned innocence as she gave him a smile.

"Hey Steve, fondue?"

Steve Rogers blushed at the mention of fondue, but the Faux Captain frowned in confusion. "Fondue? Do we have any? I can go see if you'd like?"

Something flashed in Natasha's eyes. A flash of recognition. It was brief but the real Steve Rogers saw it and he knew. Natasha Stark knew. The Captain who sat before her was not the real Steve Rogers. She blinked a bit before giving him a polite smile. "On second thought, I think we're out but I'll have Jarvis make a note on the next shopping trip." She sat next to Steve on the next cushion over. She felt his arm drape across and around her shoulder. She played the game and got comfortable, but she knew.

Natasha Stark knew very well. Whoever was sitting next to her was not the soldier she knew.

**AN: Spent today writing this for you guys! I should have been doing AP Lit but you know what, here you go. Tomorrow I start school, it's 11:06om right now and tomorrow I start my senior year.**

**Wow.**

**Don't know when I'll be able to update but thank you so much for the reviews and such! Love you all!**


	10. Chapter 10: Loki Was Right

**I'm back. I hope this chapter does well enough that you guys like it, I don't have much faith in it but I hate not updating. Read, review and enjoy?**

The next day, the Avengers had assembled under the direction of Nick Fury. Bruce sat calmly in his spinny chair, ever so often finding his fingers tapping against the plastic of the arm. Barton had taken a similar pose of calmness, lifting his feet up on the desk, his hands rested behind his head and his eyes closed. Romanoff sat beside him, texting randomly every few minutes or so. Both were in casual attire. Thor had brought breakfast in with him, and needless to say it was a hardy helping of whatever he could get Jarvis to order for him.

(AN: We're just going to call the fake "The Captain" and the real one "Steve Rogers.")

The Captain had taken a somewhat relaxed position. He didn't really know what to expect from a meeting held in SHIELD. Hydra hadn't necessarily trained him for such a situation. Nick Fury sat in the middle; he flipped idly through a newspaper. "We're waiting on Iron Man, yeah?" Barton said, still with his calm pose. The Captain eyed each of the Avengers each one by one, analyzing them and determining their profiles. There were three superior forces at work that required him to take such an observance in his new 'team', so to speak.

His superiors, being Hydra, Ezekiel Stane, and lastly Justin Hammer.

Hydra wanted to rid the Avengers from existent for the basic reason of having no one stand in their way. Ezekiel Stane wanted vengeance and it had Natasha Stark's name written all over it. She had been the one to build the Iron Man suit and Iron Man had been the one to kill his father. Natasha Stark had also been his competition for many years, in both his father's attention and intellect. Obadiah, granted, had despised the genius girl, only becoming a father figure in the name of greed. But that alone had been enough to set a feeling of neglect for Ezekiel Stane. And Justin Hammer had his obvious reasons. He couldn't build his own weapons and with Stark out of the way, he'd be able to take over the manufacturer industry without competition. He already had weapons since Stark had dropped out, but he wanted all of industry to recognize that Hammer Corp was a force to be reckoned with. And the only way to assure that was to get rid of the Stark Industries prime inventor. The plan was clever, combining like forces to destroy a single enemy. But getting rid of a team such as the Avengers would not prove to be an easy feat.

The Headcount:

The two assassins who were trained for just about anything. Deception was their game and they killed for a living. The Captain was somewhat surprised that the two hadn't been a bit more observant. It disappointed him in a way.

The man with breathtaking anger management issues. The Hulk was invincible, there was no doubt about. Taking him on would be a death wish.

The god of thunder who possessed glorious power yet had the character of a genuine and kind man. The Captain thought it odd how different of a persona the god had.

And then there was Iron Man, the body guard to Natasha Stark. Iron Man was, beyond a doubt, a threat to be reckoned with. His way to get to Natasha Stark would be to seduce her. From observance, it was somewhat clear she had feelings for the super soldier out of time. To get to Iron Man would be a different strategy completely. He'd have to get Natasha to reveal his identity, and from there and only there could the Captain proceed to kill whoever it was that had the honor of manning the Iron man suit.

One step at a time though.

The door slid open, eyes wandered over expecting a red and gold suit, but instead came to find the much smaller in stature genius. She looked a bit better than normal in terms of her health, but she still held the same demeanor. "You're not Iron Man. Pfft." Barton mocked in a teasing manner, still happy to see the snarky genius enter the room. "Where's Iron Man, Ms. Stark?" Fury said, looking up briefly from his paper. His tone seemed extremely disinterested as he continued to flip through the pages. "The suit had a few kinks so I still have to fix them." She said offhandedly, taking a seat next to Bruce. He greeted her with a warm smile.

"It's nothing too crucial, Avengers." Fury paused. "Ms. Stark." He added, almost forgetting that she had a secret to keep. Bruce frowned momentarily at the realization that Natasha technically wasn't part of the team, even though she ought to be. She put her life at risk just as much as they did. "I have a few files here with some profiles of some potential heroes on the east coast of the U.S. Look through them and tell me what you think since the best judges are the ones who have been through it all." Fury ended his order, looking each in the eye before nodding. He stood up, placing the paper under his arm and walked out.

Natasha was the first to move. She didn't want to be there. Ever since her realization, she felt uncomfortable under the leering gaze of the Captain. If she wanted to tell the others, she'd need more proof but otherwise she was on her own. She placed her earbuds in her ears and played some music, anxiety getting the best of her. The team sat in silence, looking through the folders at various paces. Some would stop every now and again due to boredom, others would stare off briefly.

* * *

Ezekiel Stane took this opportunity to start a conversation with Steve.

"You know, it took me a while to think of this plan…" Stane said, taking a seat next to the glass containment. Steve looked over, a bit unnerved that he was attempting conversation. "Look at her…" Steve looked up again to see what he was talking about. Over the last hour, the group had shifted positions constantly, Natasha distancing herself the most, not really noticing her subconscious actions. "I've known her for a while. She may not know of me but I've always known of her. She was always loud and obnoxious. Party girl, the socialite, you get the point. And yet…" He frowned, as if trying to figure something out. "After being in that cave, she changed. She became content with the loneliness."

As Steve listened, he couldn't help but somewhat agree with the villain siting outside of his imprisonment. Natasha did seclude herself a lot. "She has her reasons." It was purposely vague. He didn't want to divulge any information accidently. "She doesn't know me, at least I don't think. But we met once." Steve didn't know how to describe his tone. "It was at MIT. She was buying the last sweatshirt they had when she turned and saw me. I had thought it was her, but I had tried to not focus on it. I looked in front of her and saw she as buying the last sweatshirt. Just my luck, right?" He took a long gulp of water, before taking a bite from a plate of food that was next to him. If Steve had noted anything, it was that his captor ate quite often. More so than himself.

"She turned around, bought the sweatshirt and gave it to me. Not a word was said…" Steve frowned, not knowing why the man as telling him of such things. "It made me hate her more."

The two of them looked up once more, noticing conversation occurring between the gang. "Hey, I'm on my last one!" Clint said loudly, breaking the silence. Everyone jumped at the sudden outburst besides Natasha, who had her music too loud to actually hear. "How come Iron Man isn't here to help us?" The Captain asked, he too finishing up his last one. "He could just come in, not in armor and help…" He frowned. Natasha didn't respond, not hearing the question. "Hey Stark." Clint through a crumpled piece of paper in her direction, which she swiftly caught, acutely aware of the projectile coming towards her. She smirked when she looked up, taking a headphone off.

"Sorry, what was that?" She maintained her smirk before throwing the paper back at Clint. "Natasha, can't you convince Iron Man to tell us who he is? We're a team, after all…" He glanced up meeting her confused gaze. "Iron Man has many things in his life he likes to keep private. Friends that don't need to be put in danger. So he'd like to keep it a secret." The Captain frowned. "But you know who he is?"

Natasha frowned, beginning to see the reason there was a fake Steve in their presence. She had been up all night trying to find out where or who could have taken him, but nothing came up. The Captain had been bringing up the identity of Iron Man more often. "I do. We have a special sort of relationship." She bluntly responded, signing the bottom of the page with a swift motion. The Captain gave her a questioning look before turning to the rest of the team. "Alright, once finished I think we can move out, team."

The discussion wasn't over.

The conversation hadn't continued verbally but it was implied, and Natasha could easily tell. Since then, The Captain had been making more advances on her. Slowly and in private. Steve Rogers had been sitting in containment watching with a queasy stomach. Thinking of possible ways to get out. To escape and somehow save her. It was clear he wasn't in danger. But Natasha. That was a different story all together. If they had wanted to kill him, they would have already. But Natasha was the primary goal at this point in the game.

The tower went quiet as each member had the respective things to do. The Captain was in the gym with Thor, Clint and Romanoff. Bruce was in his room, researching things that Rhodey had suggested. Natasha sat in her workshop, scanning every possible source she could find on who the stranger in her home was.

"Looking for something?"

She turned, forgetting that Loki had been in the lab with her, sitting patiently, waiting for recognition or some form of banter. Her glanced at the screen and immediately caught on to what she was doing. "Ah, I'm not the only one who has grown suspicious of such things." He nodded thoughtfully. "So I'm right then. It's not Steve?" She questioned without looking at him. He didn't respond, which was enough of an answer for Natasha. "Steve's not dead, they're using him for bait, obviously. And the Captain up there has been putting the moves on me and I can't decide what I need to do." She grunted and she spoke fast, clearly distraught. Loki paused before asking her. "What exactly are you struggling with, Stark?"

She sighed. "I could tell them that someone kidnapped the Captain. But then they'd ask questions like how I know and it would eventually lead my identity being ruined. I could fight it on my own. I could tell them everything and hope they believe me…" She laid on the cold ground, trying to compose her mind into a straight and linear thought process. What Loki said next was possibly the only solution that was logical.

"I've noticed how strange the Captain had been bolder in his courtship with you. Might I suggest playing the game back? He wants to find the identity of the Man of Iron. This fake Captain of yours might have secrets worth finding in his quarters. You're obviously his target. Get to him first before he gets to you."

She opened her large, wide brown eyes; they met with a pair of sullen green eyes that looked down at her. Loki extended a hand for her to get up, she took it slowly with reluctance. She stood up across from him, her hand still in his. He could feel her pulse following a gentle but quick rhythm. He quirked a curious eyebrow up. "You're fearful? Because this isn't the Captain you love, you're fearful?" Under normal circumstance, she wouldn't have been nervous. But the idea did send a rush of anxiety through her. She was fearful. It wasn't an emotion she showed often. It was something she preferred to keep to herself. After years of being demeaned and criticized, fear was an emotion she couldn't afford to show.

She had a few reasons to be fearful. One being that she was walking right into enemy lines. Who knew what would happen. The Captain could kill her or something far being she was going to play with the likes of someone who took down Steve. Steve Rogers. _Her_ Steve Rogers. Anyone who could take down Captain America successfully scared the shit out of her. He packed quite a punch for an old guy. Three being an underlying fear. The rush of anxiety and fear that she had been feeling over the recent span of time because someone had gone missing from her team was torture.

_Her team?_

She paused her thought process when she realized what she had just admitted to. Not only that, but she had thought about _her Steve Rogers._ It wasn't a lie when she admitted that the idea someone took him of all people from under her watch pissed her off immensely. Especially when they took him because of her. Loki was right in all aspects of his inquiry. She was fearful and she was even more fearful because she was about to seduce and perhaps even have sex with someone who wasn't Steve Rogers. She wanted it to be with Steve. She was stuck in her thoughts before she realized she hadn't answered Loki. She had been blankly staring. She blinked, coming back to reality. She pulled a seat over that was within arm's length and sat in it. She leaned her elbows on her legs and placed her hands in front of her face in a thinking position.

"Of course I am."

**A/N: Hi there! Sorry I haven't updated in a while, school, theater stuff, etc. I hope you guys are doing well though. I have a few questions for you guys though that can be answered in the reviews and such. Okay. **

**Question 1: Would you guys like to see Bruce/Fem!Tony and or Loki/Fem!Tony in separate fanfics? Oneshots or something like that? Because I can make that happen. I really can. Your choice though!**

**Question 2: The next chapter may or may not get slightly graphic with sex. It all depends on what you guys want. You have three options. **

**I can write the chapter, sex and all, and you guys can read it and it's just like a normal update.**

**I can write the chapter, section it off so you know where it is, and if you aren't comfortable with reading it, you can skim the page till you see the marker that says the sex is over and done with.**

**I can write the chapter, but with no sex at all. Just a "And then they had sex… Then the next day…" kind of thing.**

**I can make them ALMOST have sex, but something interrupts, thus solving this whole problem on what you guys are comfortable with reading.**

**Let me know what you guys think! :) I'll update as soon as I can though, don't worry.**


	11. Chapter 11: Her Best Friend

**A/N: Woah, you guys really responded to the last chapter! Thanks for all the replies and reviews! As far as decision making goes, based on what you guys said, I'm making them ALMOST have sex, but it gets interrupts. Clothes remain on, etc, so don't worry, it's still within T rating. I will also be writing a fem!Tony/Bruce Fic along with a fem!Tony/Loki fic. I don't know if they'll be one shots or full on stories, but if you guys have any idea or something you've been wanting to see in a fic about them, feel free to suggest in the reviews and stuff. I'm more than open to suggestions. :) I feel like this is kind of a short chapter but I have it somewhat planned in my head the next two chapters. So, I hope you enjoy!**

"If something goes wrong, we'll be contacted, I'm sure." Loki nodded in her direction just at the entrance of the workshop. Natasha pressed her lips together, knowing very well that he was right. "Jarvis, track any unknown signals that come from this tower within the next two hours. He's obviously working for someone so if I can get him to call them, I'll have a trace." She took a deep breath before walking out of the lab, leaving Loki alone to entertain himself. A question had been bothering him for quite some time though. "Jarvis?" He was uncertain how to get the AI's attention. "Yes, Loki?" He responded immediately. Loki swallowed before posing his inquiry. "Jarvis, why haven't you told Stark that Steve Rogers knows of her secret? You have eyes everywhere so I believe it safe to presume you know, yes?" Jarvis was silent momentarily before responding. "Yes, I have known since the beginning when Captain Rogers saw the videos here in Miss Stark's workshop." Another moment of silence passed before Jarvis added another statement.

"Miss Stark has been through a substantial amount of dangerous situations on her own because she deemed is necessary to keep everyone around her safe. She has taken the fact that innocent lives, as well as Yinsen's life are all blood dripping on her account. She doesn't want any more blood on her hands." Jarvis paused as Loki looked up, his lips pressed into a firm frown. Loki slid into a seat nearby and crossed his legs, like a child listening intently to a story. "I felt as though letting the Captain know without her knowledge was in the best interest for Miss Stark. I won't always be there to watch over her. She needs someone like him watching over her. Miss Stark is in love with Captain Rogers and he reciprocates her feelings. I wouldn't have chosen a more suited person to protect Miss Stark."

The silence of the workshop would have bothered Loki normally had he not been listening to the AI's sentiment for his master. "How long have you and Stark been in interaction?" He asked curiously. "Miss Stark's first versions of me date back to when she was five. I was nothing more than a small gadget. I was her best friend…" Jarvis took a moment to finish his statement.

"And she was mine."

Loki would have never suspected such a relationship between the robot and Natasha Stark. He had always assumed the relationship was of master and servant. But no, it was far more than that. Over the course of time, Jarvis had developed a personality with feelings just as any other person would have. Jarvis would always be her best friend. And she would always be his. "Jarvis, if possible, may I see this footage that the soldier was exposed to?"

There was a pause of hesitation before a holographic screen appeared not too far from him…

* * *

Ezekiel Stane yawned from his chair, causing Steve to stir from his slumber. He glanced over to see the young man stretching. Stane turned and met his glance. "Good to see you're up. I hate leaving without saying goodbye." Steve was beginning to not like the formal tone Stane have been taking around him. He glanced back at the screen and a small smile formed on his face. "It seems you're not the only one to be up and about."

Steve looked up and registered Natasha Stark walking in the corridor. She had a somewhat confused look on her face as she paused and leaned against the wall. She looked to be in deep thought. "I found it strange when I heard about her joining a team." Stane slid his hands in his pockets, his eyes never leaving the screen. "Daddy dearest had me over at Stark Tower one day. I was probably six I think." Steve glanced quickly over at Stane, wondering if Natasha knew he existed or assumed he was just another person. "She's not one for making friends." Stane chuckled again before looking back at Steve with an amused look on his face. "But I think you know that better than most people, Captain."

A scowl grew on his face when Stane looked over at him. He was becoming easily annoyed with the man that was holding him captive. "I walked down to one of the workshops and saw her. She was working on a robot and the only light to be found was from a small light overhead. She didn't see me." Stane seemed to be lost in his memories as he continued one of his many stories. "She was fixing a small robot. I couldn't have been bigger than the size of her hand. She sparked it on the bottom and it came to life. There was a little light coming from it that shined across her face. Want to know what she said to it?" Steve was silent briefly as he waited for an answer. "She said, "You're my best friend in the whole world. You're my only friend…" I think that was the moment I had the most sympathy for her." He stood and watched the screen as Natasha thought to herself. Obviously trying to contemplate something.

"It kind of shocked me when I heard she was starting to get along with a few of the Avengers. More specifically you." He cracked his neck before walking towards the exit of the area. "Goodnight, Captain." The door slid opened and closed, leaving Steve Rogers to sit and stare at the screen, wondering what she was planning on doing. He had seen that face a countless number of times before. She was doing something dangerous again, that was for sure. But what? She stood in front of the Captain's doorway. She tugged a bit at her skin tight shirt, making sure it looked nice. She wore a sportsbra and a tank underneath, making her arc reactor hidden completely. She fiddled with her jean shorts briefly before knocking on the door. The Captain opened the door after the first knock, looking down at the inventor on his doorstep. A wide grin spread across his face as he quickly glanced down at the attire she was in. "What can I help you with, Natasha?"

Steve's eyes widened as he realized what she was doing. "She couldn't be that reckless. Or that lacking of a sense of self-preservation…" He muttered to himself as he stared at the screen. Natasha looked up and grinned at him in a flirtatious way. "I was wondering if we could maybe talk for a bit? In private?" She looked up at him with doe like eyes, the eyes she used when she wanted something from Bruce or Rhodey. The Captain let out a small chuckle before ushering her in. The camera feed switched to one inside the room from a camera The Captain must have planted on his own. Natasha walked over and leaned against the bed post, trying to think of a way to get it over with.

The Captain walked over to a dresser and began fiddling with a few papers. Some were sketches no doubt from the real Steve Rogers. Others were papers with an endless amount of text on them. "Sorry about the mess, I didn't think I was having anyone over."

"Steve, come on. I'm the most unorganized person you know. I really don't mind…" Natasha walked over to stand beside him. She let her fingers trail a gentle line up his arm and slowly as it made its way across his broad shoulder. Her hand eventually landed behind his head, her thumb gently moving back and forth against his cheek. She pressed her body against his as her other hand leaned on his chest. "Besides, I didn't come here to look at the mess." Within a swift moment, his hands were holding her closer from the small of her back as he eagerly pressed his lips against hers. Her lips moved in sync with his as she felt him slowly pushing her towards the bed. _Definitely not the real Steve Rogers._ She thought to herself as she felt a bit nauseous with what she was doing. The back of her leg touched the edge of the bed as she felt herself being pushed softly onto her back. "Getting a bit eager there, aren't we, Cap?" She gave a fake grin in his direction. His voice was low and husky in response as he towered over her on the bed.

"I've wanted to do this for so long."

Steve Rogers felt nauseous looking at the spectacle. It was horrifying watching Natasha do something she didn't feel comfortable with, for his sake. But it was another thing to watch someone that looked like him act so crude towards a woman. And not just any woman, but someone he knew. Someone he was in love with.

His hands trailed down the contours of her body as he trailed kissed down her neck and onto her collarbone. She glanced around the room, hoping to be able to see something of use, like a disgarded paper of some sort. When she turned up nothing, she raised her hands to his face, and brought his face to hers as he kissed her more roughly than before. His hands were about to graze under her shirt when a phone rang from the dresser. He stopped, as he parted from her, heavy in breath as he looked angrily away at the dresser. "I'll… I'll be one minute. Don't move." He jumped off the bed and fiddled inside the dresser, pulling out a phone that clearly wasn't SHIELD nor Stark Industries issued. _Yes!_ She thought to herself as she remember to ask Jarvis for coordinates later on. Her heavy breathing began to sound less noticeable as she placed a hand over her face. "Thank god for cellphones." She said a bit loudly as Steve watched with relief.

"Besides… I really wanted it to be with Steve..." Steve Roger's breath caught as he heard her mutter the statements. Regardless of whether she knew he was listening or not, he was. And he couldn't help but feel touched by the sentiment. "Miss Stark." Jarvis's voice rang through the room, which she found odd since Jarvis was turned off in most of the rooms. "I'd _hate_ to interrupt." He added sarcastically. "But there is a pressing matter that requires your attention in the workshop."

She looked up just as the Captain walked back in the room, having heard Jarvis' message. "I've got to go. Rain check, alright? Alright." She ran her fingers through her hair in attempt to make it look somewhat decent as she dashed out of the room, glad to be away from anything having to do with the fake Captain. "Thanks, Jarvis!" She grinned widely as she scurried down the hall and into her private corridor.

"Always a pleasure, Miss Stark."

Down in the workshop, Loki sat on the couch with a pillow laying across his head. He felt horrified that he had let such a thing happen in his presence. The screen was paused on a rather revealing moment of Natasha Stark. Arc Reactor showing in all its glory as she tested one of the Iron Man gloves. "Hey what's wrong-" She paused as she noticed the screen and it's paused image. Behind it was none other than Bruce Banner with a sly look on his face as he leaned against one of the many tables located in the workshop. He slid his glasses off and looked directly at a confused Natasha Stark.

"I think you might have some explaining to do."

* * *

The next day, Agent Romanoff sat in the lounge skimming through the few files that came across as intriguing to her. Clint sat beside her skimming the schematics of the tower. Thor sat to the side with a notepad, sketching what looked to be the nine realms. It was suspected he was drawing out more information for Jane Foster to take from. "Agent Romanoff, a package was just dropped off at the front. Might I suggest picking it up?" Jarvis said, bringing the attention of the three Avengers to the door. Agent Romanoff walked to the door, gun ready to be drawn on the off chance that it was something more than just a package.

"What is it?" Clint asked, looking up again from the holographic schematic. Agent Romanoff formed a firm frown on her face as she read the little card that appeared on the small box. She looked down at the box with hesitation, unsure if she wanted to open it. Clint stood up, noticing the rare hesitation as he took the card and read the contents aloud.

"_One of your members is a traitor. Want proof? Watch the video."_

_**AN: It's safe to say I had a lot of Jarvis feels when I wrote this chapter. I couldn't. It took me two days to write this chapter but the Jarvis feels. asdfghjkl So I hope you enjoyed, like I said, about the other one shots/fics I mentioned in the above with fem!Tony/Bruce and fem!Tony/Loki, if you have any ideas feel free to throw them at me. Alright guys, I hope to write soon. Off to sleep. Bye!**  
_


	12. Chapter 12: Traitor

The night that Bruce Banner had confronted Natasha Stark, she had told him everything.

The two scientists and the god of mischief all sat on the lab floor, like a weird slumber party gone wrong. Natasha had brought out blankets, pillows and a few snacks. "What do you mean it's a part of you?" He questioned, not in disbelief but his scientific curiosity getting the better of him. Natasha loved that about Bruce. "When I was kidnapped, pieces of shrapnel were embedded in my chest and were heading for my heart. A man by the name of Ho Yinsen was also abducted at some point." She paused, feeling a chill run down her spine as she remembered it. "I remember being on the table during the surgery. His face was blurry but if I piece it together I can match it with Yinsen's."

"Wait, you remember? They didn't put you under anesthetic?"

A small chuckle of the bitter sort escaped Natasha's lips. "Sorry. Dumb question. They weren't really looking to make you feel at home over there…" Bruce gave an embarrassed smile as he sipped a drink he had recently placed next to him. Natasha had long slid the tank top from underneath her shirt off, only to cover it with one of the blankets before Bruce or Loki could notice what she had done. She shed her covers, revealing the dimmed light just beneath her shirt. "I'm not one to be promiscuous or anything…" She gave a humorous grin towards Bruce. "But you've seen plenty being a doctor and helping the ill in India." Bruce returned a smile, unsure of what she was doing. She slid off her shirt, revealing just a black bra. The attention wasn't on her assets though.

It was on the arc reactor.

"I haven't really talked about this with anyone besides Fury and Coulson, but there was a time when this thing was both killing me and saving my life. Jarvis referred to it as a terrible privilege. I couldn't agree with him more." She tapped gently against the light. "How could it be killing you if you built it to lengthen you once deteriorating life?" Loki now posed the question that Bruce was about to ask. "Palladium poisoning. It used to be powered by that and was causing high toxicity levels in my blood stream. Dear old dad had a few ideas to fix it though." She glanced over at the boxes of her fathers that remained nearby. "But before you father's help, you were willing to accept your fate as ending?" She looked up at Loki as she began to slide her shirt back on. She swallowed harshly as she felt her throat go slightly dry. She gave him a tired smile before responding.

"In case you haven't noticed, Loki, death and I are old friends."

A an hour or so passed of continued explanation, from both Natasha and Bruce. Bruce began to shed some light on who he now suspected of kidnapping Steve Rogers. "Ezekiel Stane. Not sure if you've heard of him. He's a crazed little fruit loop who wants you dead. He's the one that sent the hit on you." He slowly took off his glasses, realizing he didn't really need them at the moment. Natasha held a look that said she was processing the information.

"Like father like son. I just don't do well with Stanes, do I?"

The night was filled with the trio talking and asking questions, all of which Natasha truthfully answered. It felt odd being honest for once. Even she'd admit that.

* * *

As Ezekiel Stane was in his office, he was scanning through his list of recently acquired files and folders when he came across a very interesting piece of information. He smiled to himself as he dialed a number on his phone. "Hello?" The Captain answered on the other end of the line. "I've found a very interesting piece of information that will help us immensely. So much to the point that you can strike the other Avengers as early as tomorrow."

"Really?" He asked, unsure what to make of the new information. "Yes, I'm going to send a package to the tower that will essentially turn all the Avengers against Miss Natasha Stark and Iron Man. After that, she'll be ours to kill. Once they've turned on her, you're free to attack them at will." The Captain nodded before hearing the last words of his superior.

"That will be all, Captain."

* * *

"One of your members is a traitor. Want proof? Watch the video." Clint stared at the letter and then at the package. "What is it supposed to mean? Who sent it?" He asked determinedly looking up to meet Romanoff's gaze. "I don't know. We're going to have open it up and watch to find out." She frowned, holding up the small USB with care. She walked over to the computer located on the table nearby as the three Avengers sat together and watched the video load. Romanoff set it up so that the video appeared on the large TV screen.

"It can't be…" Clint said as he stared at the video playing in front of him.

* * *

About fifteen minutes later, Natasha Stark was the first to wake from the trio slumber party. Bruce Banner and Loki had both fallen asleep next to her in their covers, both sleeping soundlessly. She sat up for a bit, thinking about what Bruce had said about it being Obadiah's son. Her mind flashed back to Ivan Vanko during a time before she killed him. Something he said to her would always resonate in her mind, despite the amount of effort she made to try and forget it.

* * *

_Ivan Vanko laid battered and defeated in a pile of circuitry and wires caused from the repulsor explosion made by Rhodey and Natasha Stark. The two stood side by side, faceplates on, breathing heavily from the battle. "Rhodey, go help any of the civilians that are injured. They'll need all the help they can get." Natasha paused as she looked over at Vanko. "I can handle it from here." Rhodey was giving her a questioning glance, but did as he was told. Flying off in a rush. The sound of running water was the only thing heard. "You should have known not to mess with me." She swallowed hard as she took off her helmet, giving herself somewhat fresh air to breath. Her face was slightly dirtied; a cut had been edged into her right temple. Her long hair fell down as the helmet came off. Vanko laughed as he looked up._

_"I had my guesses, Stark. You're the only one capable, beside myself, to successfully run such a complex machine." His voice was tattered by the pain he was feeling. He continued to smirk. "You come from a… family of thieves. And butchers. And now like all guilty men, you try to rewrite your own history. Yet you forget all the lives the Stark family has destroyed." Natasha blinked, her eyes wide, serious and focused on the figure before her. "There will be blood in the water. And the sharks will come." A chill ran down her spine as she listened, noticing the awful grin he was giving her. A moment later, Vanko commenced the self destruct sequence, prompting her to rush and save Pepper Potts._

* * *

She stared off, remembering his words very clearly. "Not again. His blood won't be on my hands…" She mumbled, a determined look formed on her face. She got up quickly as she walked towards to door. "Steve's blood won't be on my hands."

"Jarvis, what time is it?" She muttered just before she opened the door. "It's approximately 11:35 in the morning, Miss Stark." He answered crisply and loud enough for only her to hear. "Miss, there are a few things you should be aware of. The fake Captain Rogers has disappeared from my radar. But I must advice you, there is something more troublesome occurring in the lounge that requires your immediate attention." Natasha frowned as she looked up, quickly grabbing her sweater. "Like what?" She almost didn't want to know. She had enough to handle at the moment.

"Your secret identity has just been revealed."

She rushed up to the lounge to find Thor, Romanoff and Clint sitting in various places, their faces void of any emotion. She stood in the doorway as all eyes landed on her. The air in the room was anything but welcoming. "When…" Clint said lowly, giving her a nasty look as he stood up. Natasha frowned, unsure what he was asking. Clint took that as a response. "What the hell were you going to tell us? That you were Iron Man the whole fucking time?!" He sneered, a betrayed look appeared on his face. Natasha swallowed hard, looking between Thor, Romanoff and Clint. "Okay, let's calm down, take a chill pill and-"

"I will not fucking calm down, Stark." He said firmly, an arrow was wedged between his fingers. "Then listen to me Barton before you start an execution." She said firmly back. "I couldn't tell you. If I did, all of us would have been in danger. It comes with the territory of being someone easily targeted. And I'm not just exaggerating, because you know what? Because of me, Steve's been kidnapped! And it's all my fault! And now there's some fake imposter running around!" She was yelling but holding her ground. A slightly confused look appeared on all of their faces at the mention of Steve being kidnapped. "How can we trust you?" Natasha looked over at Romanoff, who had finally decided to speak. She stood next to Clint, obviously siding with him. "How do we know you're really on our side? You could be working with another group, like Hydra." She paused just as Natasha frowned, a look of disbelief. "She poses a good point, Lady Stark…" Thor stood up, standing with the others. "You yourself said that the technology Hydra currently possessed from our last battle could have only been invented by one such as yourself. How do we know you aren't double siding us?"

Natasha could feel her heart beating wildly as she heard the accusations being thrown at her. "And now you're blaming Steve? You're calling him the traitor. Typical response." Clint retorted as he glared at the genius that stood across from him. "We're a team, Stark. You're supposed to tell your team everything. Not keep secrets because you feel like it." Natasha could feel her anger boiling to the surface. Her final string was about to snap. She didn't have time for this. She needed them to believe her. She needed to save Steve, she knew Jarvis would have the coordinates of the call by now, even though it took a bit longer than normal due to the heavy encryptions. She's save Steve no matter what, even if it was by herself.

"Says the assassin that lies for a living." She replied back, her knuckles turning white from the tightness of her fists. Clint walked forward now, ready to attack at will. "You know, Steve was right about you from the beginning. You're volatile, self-obsessed, and don't play well with others. You don't deserve to be on a team of any kind. I don't know why Fury ever thought about letting you on."

Her string had snapped. In the pit of her stomach, she felt a range of emotions like extreme guilt, blinding fury and a feeling of betrayal. Clint was right in a manner of speaking. She didn't belong on a team. She only led to destruction and chaos. Because of her Steve was in danger. She was furious at the fact that they thought so little of her character. But she also felt hurt at the fact that they had turned on her so quickly. Being with people came with a price, she had learned. By being in the Avengers, she had learned that she was putting her team in danger of being hurt. However, at the same time, by letting herself get attached to the odd group of people, she was making herself vulnerable.

She took a deep breath before responded. "You're right." Her voice was monotone as she looked Clint in the eye. A look of remorse filled her eyes. Clint raised his eyebrows. "…I'm right?" He questioned. She didn't have time to argue. She needed to save Steve with or without their help. "I don't belong on a team. I am volatile, self-obsessed and I don't play well with others. I quit." She dug into the pocket of her shorts and took out her Avengers ID, her SHIELD consultant card and a device that allowed her to remain in contact with the Avengers at all time. She usually placed it in the helmet to be on the com. She threw it onto the table, causing each of the items to slide on the table. "You can't just quit, Natasha…" Thor looked unsure as he stared the items and then back at her. He was torn between believing in her and believing in instinct. He hoped it was another ruse of her "sarcasm" but her face nothing less than serious.

"I can. Just watch me. You guys can keep the tower in New York. I'll leave Jarvis here to help but other than that, you'll never have to deal with me ever again. I'll relocate to the Malibu house and you guys can avenge stuff without me." Clint and Romanoff couldn't help but take note of the slight hurt that was hidden behind her words. "But listen closely and listen good. The Steve we've been living with for the past week or so is not the Steve Rogers we found in the ice. It's an imposter and I'm getting to the bottom of it, whether you guys believe me or not." She glared at all of them before heading back down to her workshop. "Jarvis, begin collecting my things and moving them to the Malibu house. I want nothing of mine to remain here. Make it look like I was never even here." She said angrily, reaching the door to the workshop. She was at the suit station, getting the suit on as Jarvis responded. She grabbed the Captain's shield, knowing it'd be a nice sight when she found him. It was only once she had the helmet on did she hear Jarvis' response, she took off at the end of his sentence.

"…Yes, Miss Stark." He said with a hint of sadness.

It was an hour or two later when Loki and Bruce woke up. The took note of Natasha's absence and went to the lounge to see if she was there. They came to a group of three angry and confused Avengers. "What's going on?" Bruce asked, noting the tension in the room. The three of them looked at the letter from the box, signaling Bruce to read the letter. Romanoff placed a screen shot of what the video showed, which was a clear image of Natasha Stark in the suit. Bruce raised an eyebrow. "We kind of accused Natasha of being a traitor…" Clint mumbled, leaning his head on his one hand. "And we did not believe her reasoning otherwise…" Thor was also in a contemplative position. "Which caused her to quit the Avengers and run off. "Romanoff finished, meeting the shocked and somewhat angry expression of both Loki and Bruce Banner.

But no look could have been madder than the angry look of Pepper Potts, who stood at the doorway hearing the entire explanation. "She did what?!" Her heels clicked fast as she walked into the room, her eyes filled with a mixture of stress and anger. "You guys did what?" Rhodey wasn't far behind her, a look of panic reached his face. "Could you blame us? With the letter and the video?" Clint tried to defend him and the two other Avengers. "She was telling the truth you dumb ass." Pepper scowled as she placed down her files and the box of donuts she was going to give to Natasha when she saw her.

"Natasha's not a traitor." Bruce crossed his arms, taking a deep breath to gain control. "And she only lied to protect all of you." Loki added with a bitter note in his tone. "Why would she lie to protect us? It's not like she's done anything to make someone die personally." Romanoff defended back. Pepper Potts sighed. "Jarvis, pull up the video SHIELD sent. Agents Romanoff, Barton, and Thor need to see something…" Jarvis didn't reply, only pulling up the video that Loki and Bruce had recently saw the night before. The group sat and watched, Pepper turned away at certain parts, unable to look at some of Natasha's torture or at Yinsen dying. The video continued to show her fight and killing of Obadiah Stane, the fights with the drones and Ivan Vanko. The last few clips showed her flying with the nuke, the image that none of the Avengers would ever forget.

"People have died because of her." Rhodey finally said, pausing the video on the image of Iron Man flying with the nuke. "She didn't want to put us in danger. And because someone found out, Steve's in danger, he's been kidnapped and everything has gone insane."

"We should have listened to her." Clint said after a long pause. Thor, Romanoff and Barton all stood up, their faces filled with slight guilt at what they said. All faces turned in fear as they heard a low chuckle from the corner of the room. Out of the shadows walked the faux Captain, a horrible smile on his face and sinister look in his eye. Just before he transformed into his normal form, he responded to Clint's statement.

"You're right. You should have listened to her."

**I finished the chapter! I didn't think that would happen. Hope you guys enjoyed, I'll get to writing the other stuff at some point or another. I've been addicted to my Tumblr and my theater life, so hang on there with me. :) If you guys have anything you'd want to see in future chapters, feel free to suggest them! I'm open to adding things you guys would want to see. **


	13. Chapter 13: A Summer's Day

**Sorry about the late delays! But I hope you enjoy this chapter! I've been dying to get to this chapter because I've had the idea of this chapter stuck in my head since I was writing chapter 2! Note: for the Fem! Tony/Loki and the Fem!Tony/Bruce, would you guys want them to KNOW she's Iron Man already or would you prefer to have it be like this where they don't know till later in the fic? Because it could go either way depending on what you decide.**

Steve Rogers and Ezekiel Stane were wide awake as they watched the screen in front of them broadcast the reveal of the fake Steve. Stane laughed softly as he shut off the screen, turning a chair towards Steve so they could talk. "I trust that he can handle them." He smugly said as he loosened his red tie. "You obviously have no idea who you're dealing with." Steve retorted back with ease. He earned a grin from the villain that sat across from him.

"Really? And who exactly am I dealing with? A bunch of miscreant 'super heroes?' That don't fit into society at all, yes? All of which, may I mind you , have their little issues." His voice was smooth and laced with confidence as he stared down Steve Rogers. "Iron Man had to answer the same question once. He was standing on the roof against the formerly insane god of mischief." His cerulean blue eyes met with Stane's for the first time. Steve remembered how Iron Man had recounted the conversation had on the roof with Loki. "Let's do a head count here: the demi-god; a super soldier, a man with breath-taking anger management issues, a couple of master assassins, and lastly the Man of Iron who doesn't take lightly to people taking what's his, and you've managed to piss off every single one of them." Stane held his gaze, his expression not faltering.

Stane pushed the chair as close as possible to the glass wall, taking a seat casually once more. "See, here's the thing about Iron Man, Man of Iron, whatever you want to call her." Steve's eyes slightly widened at his use of the pronoun. "She's reckless. Unstable might be a good word. She's constantly greeting death like an old friend. Almost as if she's daring it take her life." Steve frowned, not liking what he was implying. "Example, think back to the invasion. She flew a nuke into a giant interdimensional portal. She had to know it was a one way trip."

"I'm stopping you right there. She did it to save the rest of us." Steve had the growing urge to punch the man in front of him all over again. Stane couldn't help but laugh at his reaction. "You really do see the better in her." The smile grew wider in amusement. "There were three reasons as to why she flew the nuke herself. One being what you said. That she was being selfless and a hero. Two being that she was being selfish, knowing she'd be ending her life on heroic terms. A hero's death. One of honor that would completely overtake her reckless past. Or the one I think, it was a mixture of both."

The two remained silent. Stane had taken to staring off briefly, letting his mind wander to other things as Steve thought of what he said. It infuriated him to no end because he was somewhat right. It could have been any of those. She had cut off all communications with them when she decided to take the nuke on her own. She had to have known it was a one way trip. Steve's mind flashed back to a moment when they were all at the meeting table on the SHIELD helicarrier. She sat in as a "liaison" for Iron Man.

"_I'm only a consultant, Captain. I'm not here for your approval. I'm done with seeking approval from people who obviously won't change their mind." Natasha Stark sat on one of the chairs, her legs propped up onto the table with her arms crossed. "Why isn't Iron Man here? He should be the one getting this information considering he's the one out there fighting." Steve Rogers replied firmly and authoritatively. Thor stood on the other side of the room, looking outside the large window. Bruce Banner sat next to Natasha, reading through a few files on the Tesseract. "Sorry to burst your bubble, Wonder Boy, but here's the thing." She rolled her eyes before finishing her statement._

"_The suit and I are one. You either deal with me or you don't get the suit. Take your pick."_

_Steve Rogers wasn't used to the defiant attitude. He had yet to get used to the time period of where rebellion and disrespect was something common, especially from egotistical, young brunette billionaires. "Iron Man is reckless and needs to learn there's a plan of action for everything. Not just attack. He should here the plans first hand considering he's fighting alongside us, not you." Natasha couldn't help but laugh at the statement. It was a carefree laugh, one that was rarely heard from Natasha Stark._

"_Who cares if Iron Man makes it in the end or not. As long as the mission is complete, right?"_

_When Natasha had said that, she was taking into account her past experience with Obadiah and saving Pepper. If she had to choose, she'd always choose someone like Pepper over herself. People like Pepper deserved a longer life. And it was an added bonus that she rid the world of Obadiah Stane at the same time._

_Just as long as world was a somewhat better place. She looked away, silently ending the banter on her own terms. Steve remained silent as he looked down at his files. Steve had learned a few things during his time as a soldier. One of them was that people were truly themselves when they thought no one looking. No truer statement had ever been uttered as he glanced up quickly at Natasha. The defiance was lost in her eyes, replaced by a dull and lifeless brown. Her lips were pursed as she stared aimlessly into her phone._

_At that brief moment, he saw a broken Natasha Stark._

"She's one of the bravest people I've ever met. And you're a damn idiot if you think otherwise." Steve Rogers was an honest man and that much could be seen through the glass confinement. "I think I can take her. I'm not afraid in the least bit."

Steve was about to respond until the sound of robot feet broke the conversation. His eyes landed on the Iron Man suit that stood not too far from the entrance. Stane turned, his grin still in full view. "Not afraid? That's funny, actually." The mocking tone was evident. Iron Man began to walk towards the two, posture straight, grip tightening against the handle of the Captain America Shield she held. Her voice turned serious through the voice changing mechanism of the suit.

"I'd be extremely afraid if I were you."

"Nice of you to join us, Miss-" Stane wasn't expecting the brute force that rammed into him. The force of red and gold plunging him into the concrete of the wall, creating a gaping hole. Under normal circumstance, a human would have been terribly injured, and yet Ezekiel Stane remained under her grip with only a minor bruise or two. "Feisty, aren't we, Miss Stark." His eyes sparkled with mischief and mocking. Her face plate lifted up, revealing the wrath that poured from her facial features. "I could kill you right now if I wanted to." Her grip tightened around his seemingly fragile human form. "I can make you pay for ever threatening my friend."

"I'd like to see you try."

Before Natasha could register, a full throttled force came pressing on her. Her face plate automatically closed shut as Stane sent her through the wall and into the next room. "Fuck. What the hell was that?!" She grunted as she regained her vison through the helmet. "Miss, his vital signs are through the roof. His readings are considered normal at the moment." Jarvis explained quickly, now fully noticing the situation. "So, what is it? Radiation, mutation, what?"

A silhouette appeared through the dust and rubble, revealing Ezekial Stane.

He stood a few feet away as she remained still in the rubble, prepared for any subtle movements. "Allow me to introduce myself more properly, Miss Stark." He loosened his tie, followed by pulling it off entirely and throwing it off to the side. "Ezekiel Stane. Son of Obadiah Stane. As Dr. Bruce Banner is the world's leading specialist on gamma radiation, and you, Miss Stark, are the world's leading specialist on electrical and mechanical engineering. Whether the world knows it or not, I happen to be the leading expert on bio-weaponry." Natasha Stark began to rise slowly, Jarvis silently showing her vitals and her power usage.

"Since the age of nine I've been manufacturing and selling weapons to super villains of all sorts. Obadiah didn't realize what his son was really up to."

Natasha slowly approached him, being sure not to make any sudden movements. "So that begs a few questions. Why attack me? Now? And the more important question: how are you still standing right now…" She was running every possibility through her head as to how the man before her was still standing, still had the energy to cross his arms in such a manner that it was almost tortuously mocking her. "Second question first. I developed a process that allows me to upgrade my body into its own, high functioning system. I took a job from a tobacco company, used the money to upgrade a part of my brain: the hypothalamus. With a few technological tweaks, I was able to send energy blasts from my finger tips. It was the beginning of my transformation." A bright sort of energy began to glow from his fingertips as he explained further.

"As for your first question, I don't want to kill you, Miss Stark." Dark shadowing fell on his face, his eyes contrasting against the darkness in a strange light. "I want to make you superseded. Outdated. Obsolete. The only other people who have intellects even close to ours are Dr. Banner, Reed Richards, Victor Von Doom and Hank Pym. This is the moment where I prove that I'm far superior in every way." Without a seconds noticed he rushed into Natasha, blasting the suit at the same time. Steve Rogers heard Natasha's scream through the wall and was immediately unnerved as he sat like a duck in the unbreakable containment. Natasha managed to throw him off of her, slamming his neck into the concrete wall, earning his skin a few bruises. Not much to actually inflict damage. "Why won't you go unconscious…" She grunted as she continued to apply as much force on him as the suit would allow. "Because I'm far better than that."

His hands gripped around the suit and threw her back into the main holding area where Steve was located. She landed on a few broken pipes and electrical wiring, the pipe managing to stab itself threw her abdomen due to the blunt amount of force she was thrown at. Her scream penetrated through the helmet and into the room as circuitry and sparks flew about the room. "Natasha!" Steve screamed through the glass as he watched in horror. Natasha managed to pick herself up away from the circuitry; the pipe was still lodged into her abdomen. She could feel the warm liquid drip out from the wound and into her suit. "Miss Stark, this suit hasn't been upgraded with the new circuitry to handle blood…" The AI's worried tone rang through the helmet. Natasha barely noticed as her mind could only focus on the blinding pain that pulsed through her body. Her vision shook as she scrambled for anything to fight Stane off.

"Jarvis… power to hand thrusters and aim at Stane. I need just a minute…" Her sentences were fragmented as she lifted her arm slowly. Just as Stane stepped into the room, the thruster charged and shot at him point blank, sending him a good distance away. Enough time for Natasha to reach her objective.

The Captain's shield.

She stumbled towards it, careful and in a tragic amount of pain, attempting to not lodge the pipe any further into her body as it stuck out from the front of her stomach. "One last thing, Jarvis, I need all the strength the suit has to go into the force of throwing this shield. The AI hesitated briefly before responding. "But the suit only has 34% power remaining that is needed to sustain your vitals and the arc reac-"

"I don't care Jarvis, just do it!"

She reached the shield and lifted it with all the power the suit at, throwing it in a glistening blur that was sent straight towards the glass confinement. Steve ducked quickly as the shield made contact with the glass, almost as if it were breaking the sound barrier. Glass was scattered everywhere as the shield bounced off the wall and Steve reached his hand up just in time to catch it himself. Steve was about to make his way towards Natasha as she was painfully examining the pipe lodged into her body when Stane came out of the hole in the wall, a frustrated look on his face as blood dripped from his forehead and partially down his arm. "You're going to die for that, Star-"

Steve Rogers, in blind fury, threw his shield directly at the man, slicing the side of his stomach, sending him to the ground. His scream of pain was enough for Steve that he had hit enough of his target. "Next time, I won't miss." Steve sternly looked in his direction as he ran towards Natasha. She was coughing heavily as she struggled to take off the helmet. She threw the helmet to the side with a heavy tug, her long dark hair falling down as it normally did. It contrasted against her now paling skin. "Natasha!" Steve ran up to her, catching her falling figure just in time. Steve kneeled down, letting her head rest in his lap. Her eyes dropped closed as Steve noticed a bit of blood dripping from the inside of her mouth. He couldn't tell if it was from a cut lip or from the coughing. Her eyes slowly opened, but just barely."Come on, Natasha, you can't leave now! Keep your eyes open, damnit! I love you, Nat. You can't go like this. I'm not going to lose you!" One of his hands laced and held on tightly to her armored hand, the other rested on the side of her face as he worriedly glanced down at the flickering arc reactor. Jarvis, before dying out, had sent an emergency signal to the Avengers, in hopes of reaching them in time.

Natasha's vision was blurring, but she saw a familiar face above her. The warm touch of his hand on her now cold face. She could make out lips moving but not a sound could be heard. Her ears were ringing loudly, making any sound from the outside world fall upon deaf ears. She could feel the arc reactor flickering as it lost power.

The one device that continued the ongoing heartbeat that kept her somewhat human deep down. With the low subtle hum from the vibration of the arc reactor, she sometimes couldn't feel her own heart beating. She had long forgotten the distant beating of her own heart and in turn had become used to the cold chill that would wash over her body whenever she took out the arc reactor on her own accord in the safety of her lab. As the arc reactor began to lose power simultaneous as blood continued to rush outward of her wound, in turn going onto her skin, she felt a comforting warmth slowly crawl through her body. It began through her limbs and eventually reached the depths of her heart. To be able to finally feel the warm touch of a summer's day reach her heart without having to break through the metal tinge that was embedded into her chest. To be human for just a moment.

To feel the warmth of a summer's day reach her face from the gentle caressing of the man she loved, she could die in peace. She thought of all of this as she slowly closed her eyes, losing consciousness to the dark void of uncertainty.

**I don't know when I'll get to updating, but I hope this sufficed enough! If you have any suggestions about the enxt chapter, feel free to throw them at me! **

**My schedule has been rather tight lately. I get to school at 6:45am. And since I stay after school for theater, I tend to leave school at 5:00pm And then homework and such and etc. This week we have a three day weekend so hopefully I'll be able to so stuff, but Saturday I have rehearsal 10:00am-5:00pm. Sunday I think I'll be doing stuff with my friends since my birthday is on Wednesday asdfghjkl, and then Monday I don't have school but I have rehearsal again 10:00 to 5:00pm. I really do love theater. :) **


	14. Chapter 14: The First and Last

**So I think I might need to clarify something a bit important.**

**A few of you have inquired, been curious, or a bit confused as to why I named Fem!Tony "Natasha" instead of just "Toni." Here's a summarized version of why:**

**In the comic-verse, Reed Richards comes across an alternate universe called Earth 3490. In this universe, Tony Stark was not born a man, but instead, a woman by the name of Natasha Stark. In this universe, Natasha Stark and Captain America actually get married and end up preventing a few crucial catastrophes from happening and etc. So in conclusion, I named fem!Tony Natasha Stark because of the AU that Reed Richards found. It was my first introduction to the idea of there even being a fem! Tony.  
**

**Personally, I like Toni too, but after the large amount of time I've spent on this fic I've gotten a bit used to using Natasha, haha. By the way, it's very difficult for me to have to keep reminding myself that I have to call Natasha Romanoff just "Romanoff." So trust me, I was in the same boat as you guys. :) **

Death was someone Natasha Stark met with quite often. And each time she had a different feeling when Death laced his hand in hers.

The first time, her last memory was a wretched one indeed; it was of a nuke with her name on it. Literally. The weapon she made to protect American lives had ended up harming instead. She remembered the blood red stain that immediately seeped through her blouse. The high pitched ringing in her ear from the explosion. The pain that sauntered its way casually through her body. Her first meeting with death was blunt and in her face. It wanted to make himself known to her.

The second time was far different. It was far more endearing than she thought her death might be…

_Natasha Stark had heard over the com that a nuke had just been sent towards the city. Amongst all the havoc of the invasion, the sound of the oncoming nuke came through her helmet as she thrusted herself towards the nuke. "I've got a pretty good idea…" She muttered to herself, inaudibly as it was merely a mixture of sounds over the com. As she approached the nuke, Jarvis spoke up, a worried and regretful tone was more than evident. It struck her as odd. Jarvis had always been able to maintain a calm tone with subtle hints of his true opinion._

"_Miss, you realize this is a one-way trip?"_

_Natasha paused, her reasoning being because she was concentrating on pushing the nuke upwards towards the portal, her other reasoning being she couldn't really muster a response for the loaded question the AI had inquired about. Of course she knew it was a one-way-trip. She'd be ignorant to think otherwise. _

"_It's been a pleasure, Jarvis."_

_Pepper hadn't answered her phone as she flew into the portal. Had she died, she would have regretted not being able to talk to her again. To talk to Rhodey or Happy again. Her lungs felt as if they had been set on fire as the oxygen was no longer available to her. Her suit began to power down, her arms falling helplessly to her sides as the nuke continued its course towards the now changed target._

_On her second meeting with death, she had the terrible privilege of watching the stars shimmer and glimmer around her. The silence of space was far more beautiful than she could have imagined it. She felt gravity overcome the suit as she closed her eyes for what she thought was the last time._

And her third meeting with death was not expected, nor was it feared. It was welcomed as Natasha felt the overcoming shadow reach above her conscious. She was okay with dying right there and then. She was okay with dying having felt the touch of a warms summer's day finally reach her heart.

She was okay with dying and having Steve there to be the last thing she ever saw.

Had she told herself that two deaths earlier, she'd tell herself she was crazy for thinking the man that her father had spent the remainder of his life for was alive and well. Had she told herself that one death earlier, she'd respond with a smirk and say that the two weren't even on friendly terms.

It was a strange turn of events indeed that lead to her, Natasha Stark, falling for the golden boy, Steve Rogers.

Needless to say, Natasha Stark was a bit perplexed when she opened her eyes to a bright area. In her subconscious, she felt tremendous amounts of pain, but it was enough that she was able to ignore it for the time being. She was more concerned with the face that stared across from her. She remained on her back before fully registering the face.

"Loki."

The pale face grinned widely as his named rolled off of her lips. "Nice to see you've finally come to." His voice was gentle, a rarity for the god to have. She swallowed hard, now feeling her throat to be extremely dry. She sighed. "I'm guessing if you're here that I'm not dead." His eyes shifted from humorous to a slightly grim look.

"You're hanging by a thread as we speak…"

Natasha slowly sat up with Loki helping her, his hand firmly on her back being careful as if she were a doll. Even sitting down he was still visibly taller than her. It took her a while to finally respond. "Is there anything I can do? To fight it?" It was a tone Loki wasn't accustomed to from the young genius. It was uncertain. It was soft. It was fearful.

"You've been near death so many times." He paused, as if just thinking of something. "Out on Midgard, what were your favorite things to look at, by chance?" Natasha blinked, unsure why Loki would ask of such a thing. She was even more curious as to how she had to think of an answer. She had never thought of such a question. Minutes seemed to pass before she finally came up with an answer. Loki had been staring at her for quite some time. "Fall. I love looking out my window to see a red autumn day. The subtle wind that hit your face no matter where you were. The crunch of the leaves…" Natasha stared off as Loki gave her a sympathetic smile. "Red always was your preferred color…" Natasha frowned in confusion before realizing the scenery around her began to change: the red fall that she had been thinking of was now the environment the two sat in. Trees shaded them overhead as the wind was the only outside sound besides their conversation. She looked back at Loki with a vulnerable look. She felt a rush of pain come over her; it threatened to shadow over her consciousness. Loki began to lay her down once more as her eyes began to droop. Her response came out in a whisper.

"Thank you."

* * *

Steve Rogers couldn't get out of his head the image of a dying Natasha Stark. Her paling skin and the way a drop of blood seemed to cast a white shadow over her complexion. The metal felt cold and attached to the back of his legs as he sat on the seats provided on the SHIELD helicarrier. He hadn't moved for quite some time, choosing to remain nearby incase the doctors had any news to bring to the light. He remembered the moment he brought her in. He sat next to her the entire time that she was on the stretcher getting air lifted. When they reached the helicarrier, he remained nearby.

"Is that Natasha Stark?" One of the doctors said in shock as the stretcher came in, Natasha sat laid lifelessly on the gurney still in armor. Her hair fell softly onto the table and to the side. Her breathing was barely noticeably, is not non-existent all together. The light on her reactor was barely lit and that had scared Steve Rogers the most.

"Who's Natasha Stark?" One of the doctors asked with a quizzical brow. Another doctor came from the side area, not having seen the stretcher. He had a calm demeanor about him. Something that hinted that he was all too familiar with chaos. His eyes widened as he reached her, the nurses and doctors were attempting to pull off the armor manually. The head doctor who was about to ask what was going on swallowed hard as he looked down at the new patient. "…nevermind. I didn't see that coming."

Evan Whitmore was the doctor's name. He was Natasha's personal physician, upon Pepper's advisement. He was used to being called in whenever Natasha had a bruised arm, gashed or other such injuries, but he had never seen Natasha Stark in such a state. Steve Rogers watched as they led the gurney away into a private room, one that he wasn't allowed to follow into. That left him sitting on the metal seats. Left to think and left to wonder. Left to hope that she'd make it out alright.

_Who's Natasha Stark?_

Steve would admit the question threw him off a bit. How could someone not know who Natasha Stark was? He knew exactly who she was. She was genius, billionaire, playgirl, philanthropist who had tried to change her ways. She used to be called the Merchant of Death. She went to MIT at the age of 15 where she met Rhodey. She was the daughter of the one his closest friends. She was one of the last things that linked him to his past. She had no sense of self preservation, didn't like to sleep and drank coffee to keep herself away from the nightmares. She thought Robert Downey Jr. was hot in all of his movies, a tidbit of information she disclosed while she was fangirling during the movie marathon. When she was sad or lonely, Steve observed that on twice occasion she liked to watch the movie Matilda. She sometimes stared off in deep tangents of thought and everyone knew her mind was racing with surges of information. She was the one that made him feel at home for the first time in a very long time.

She was the one he was in love with.

Steve began to realize that time had been passing him by once more. It seemed to do that an awful lot. It was only when the doors burst open that he finally broke from his thoughts. "Steve!" Clint was the first through the door, followed by the other Avengers. Including Fury and Phil Coulson. Steve looked up and took in their appearances.

Clint has a bit of blood smeared across his arm and a few scratches. His injuries matched that of Agent Romanoff. Bruce looked a bit more agitated than normal, his clothes were slightly disheveled and that led Steve to believe the Hulk had made an appearance at some point. Thor looked just about ready to throw Mjolnir into someone's face. "Nice to see you alive and well, Captain." Fury said with his usual cool demeanor. Coulson stood readily beside him. "Under normal circumstance, I would have killed the faux soldier, but there are other things to worry about…" Thor's tone shifted as he took in Steve only somewhat disheveled appearance. "I'm fine guys, don't worry." He replied quickly, somewhat thankful being able to see them in person for the first time in what he dubbed quite some time. "Natasha. Where is she, Steve?" Steve was taken aback by the intense manner in which Bruce spoke.

Steve then asked himself a question that had been plaguing his mind subconsciously for the longest time: Why had Natasha come alone? Stane had turned on the video feed just as Rhodey was saying something about a SHIELD video on the screen. It was a question he'd pose to them later. _"She probably said for them to fight the fake me while she went to find me…"_ He thought to himself hopefully.

"She's in surgery right now. She was unconscious when I brought her in. Barely breathing. Her arc reactor…" He swallowed hard at the image of the light flickering out. Like a fragile candle in a thunderstorm. Fighting against the mist and winds to remain alive.

"Will she make it?"

Steve looked up to find an overly concerned look of Pepper Potts gazing at him. She looked just as much of a mess as anyone else would. It occurred to Steve that she was probably in the room when they fought the fake Steve as well. Rhodey walked up behind her, the same worried expression was plastered on his face too. Seeing the two, Steve thought of how close Pepper and Rhodey were to Natasha. Before the Avengers, those two had been her only friends.

"…We don't know." Steve finally mustered enough of his voice to answer. "She keeps doing this to me." Pepper ran a hand through her hair as she sat down across from Steve. Rhodey tipped his hat and followed Fury and Coulson into another room, no doubt to talk about private matters. The rest of the Avengers took seats in the room as they turned their attention to Pepper. "When she went missing in that cave for three months, we all thought she was dead. Fucking Obadiah Stane…" Frustration leaked into her voice. "If she hadn't killed him, then I would have. And then she didn't say a word about Palladium poisoning." Agent Romanoff frowned at the word.

"Back when I was undercover, I remember she mentioned something about that. Not to me directly but to herself. What-" Bruce Banner took the opportunity to cut in, seeing as how an explanation of the scientific variety was going to be needed. "Natasha has an arc reactor in her chest. When she was in the cave, she developed it using palladium. However, it poisons the bloodstream the more you use it. She didn't have an alternative so she accepted the fact that she was dying." Agent Romanoff blinked for a moment before coming to a realization. "That explains the question…"

Steve looked up at her, not sure what exactly she meant. "I went undercover for SHIELD to ensure that our little consultant was doing anything stupid. It was her birthday when she asked me what I would do if it were my last."

"I'm afraid to ask what Lady Stark did…" Thor gave a somewhat expectant but amused look. Agent Romanoff and Barton smiled wide. "She partied hard."

Steve let out a laugh as he heard Romanoff finish the sentence. It was just like Natasha to do something like that. "Now that I think of it, something else just made a whole lot of sense." Clint spoke up for the first time in what seemed like a long time. "After the whole invasion thing, I remember we were walking around, still suited up. And Pepper just ran out of nowhere and gave Iron Man the biggest hug. You two really are close, huh?"

Pepper cracked a smile at the memory. She remembered how horrified she was at the image of the suit falling from the sky lifeless. The idea that she should have been dead. The moment she saw the red and gold battered armor she took off without Rhodey and just hugged Iron Man. She didn't care if people asked how Pepper Potts knew Iron Man. She didn't care if Natasha wasn't the girl who did the whole girly hug thing. Natasha Stark had turned out to be her best friend and she'd be damned if she wasn't going to cry over the survival.

"Um, I hope to not interrupt…" The doctor walked in with a weary look in his eye. "Not at all, sir. What can you tell us?" Steve stood up immediately as Pepper rose too. She held his hand tightly in reassurance. She knew he was just as jumpy as she was about the whole thing. He took a deep breath before continuing.

"She should be fine. She suffered a lot of internal bleeding; the pipe didn't help at all, mind you. She had a busted lung, a few broken ribs, and a lot of blood loss. It may take a week or two of recovery before she can rest at her facilities, which I know she'd feel more comfortable with. It'll be awhile before she can go back into the suit though…" The doctor ended thoughtfully, eyeing the team, waiting for reactions. None were exactly given, so he continued. "I suggest, however, that you guys go home. It'll be a week before she'll even be able to have visitors."

He turned to Nick Fury, who had only recently reentered the room. He nodded at him once and then at the team before taking his leave. "Director Fury…" Steve glanced at Fury with a curious gaze. "How long did you know?" Steve had been a bit curious as to how long Fury had known of Natasha's side adventures. "We've known since the beginning, Captain. Being an intelligence agency has its perks." Fury gave him a small grin at his statement. "I've had Coulson watching over her for the most part. Otherwise, I took on the job." He rolled his only visible eye. "That alone gave me a massive amount of migraines. She's a handful."

Steve let out a chuckle. "Of course she is. She's Natasha Stark."

The team reluctantly went back to the tower. It was odd now that they were missing a piece of their team. Without Natasha in the tower, it was a silence that could be considered a bit disturbing. Bruce felt a bit lonely in the labs without a friend to bring him back to reality every once in a while. Agent Romanoff missed having to drag her out of the lab on Pepper's behalf. Clint missed a sarcastic friend and Steve Rogers…

He just missed Natasha Stark all together.

It was killing him not to see her, even if it was for a week or so...

* * *

Natasha did, eventually have a dream amidst her unconsciousness. It was one from her memories, one that she didn't tell anyone about. She didn't tell Pepper, or Rhodey or even Jarvis.

"_Miss, it seems the Avengers are assembling. But Captain Rogers has noted that your presence is more than likely unneeded." The phone fell silent as Jarvis gave her the message. She sat on the inside of her office staring at the grey sky as water descended down. "The situation is near-by, right Jarvis?" She inquired as she stared at a bit of smoke rising from a few blocks down.. "Yes, Miss Stark." The AI answered promptly._

"_I'll wait for it to stop then before leaving." She said to herself as she continued to watch from afar the people she called a "team." She stared off into the streets, her mind in a completely different place entirely. It was still on the moment she woke up from the nightmare about Yinsen. When she was brought back from the nightmares by the realization that Steve was there next to her. They couldn't have been real if he were there staring down at her, trying to calm her down._

_But for Natasha, it was the first time that Steve Rogers wasn't looking right through her. He wasn't looking at Howard Stark's daughter or the consultant that was hired by SHIELD._

_For the first time, she felt as though Steve had been looking at her as just Natasha Stark. _

_It felt relieving in a way. It scared her though when he began to avoid her in odd ways, not giving eye contact, not even bantering with her anymore. To a point, it made her think that he had, infact, seen something on the SHIELD video and was upset with about it. And the further her theory, the Captain had even neglected to call her about the day's battle. Natasha sighed outwardly, feeling the depression from not knowing get to her. Her mind ran with negative thoughts. Maybe he did hate her. Maybe he didn't like her at all. Maybe he'd rather just not have anything to do with her._

_Natasha scowled wondering why she was letting herself be bothered by such things. It shouldn't bother her. It would imply that she cared and she had no known reason to. She sighed again out of frustration. "Is there something wrong, Miss Stark?" Jarvis asked, breaking her from her thoughts. "Nothing at all. I was just thinking how I'd walk home…" The smoke had begun to fade in the distance, meaning the battle was more than likely over_

_Natasha made her way down the office building reaching the outside at a comfortable pace. She had forgotten to bring an umbrella, but she didn't really care for it at that point. She just wanted to go to her lab and work. Nothing more and nothing less. The rain fell hard against her, soaking whatever attempt Pepper had made earlier to make her hair presentable. It fell in soaked strands across her forehead and draped along her shoulders and back. Even through the sound of rain, you could still hear the sound of the oncoming traffic._

_As she stood there, she felt the sound around her dissipate. The mouths of the people around her were still moving, the cars were still rushing by, but not a thing reached her. Moments like this happened quite often to Natasha Stark. Pepper, Rhodey and even Jarvis would fail to bring her out of it. Her mind was racing with ideas and thoughts and only she could bring herself back from such a bursting moment._

_Or so she thought._

"_You're going to get sick of you stay there, Miss." It was a voice that was familiar. A voice she found herself thinking far too often of. It was enough to break the seemingly impenetrable wall. The rain, the cars, the people, they all had a voice again as Natasha, wide eyed turned slowly to see Captain America. The rain was no longer pelting her, but instead pelting the shield that he held above her and a little bit above himself too. "Miss Stark…"It had been true. Steve was avoiding Natasha ever since he had found out about the Iron Man thing. It wasn't because he hated her or anything of the sort. He just wasn't sure how to act around her anymore. Natasha remained silent, feeling uncomfortable under gaze. It was an unusual feeling._

"_Captain. I was just heading home." Her face was void of emotion as she turned away, she slowly began to walk away, but she still didn't feel the rain hitting against her. She felt other things. She felt the closeness of him next her, the warmth radiating from his body. She felt relieved that he was there. She felt confused because she didn't know why she was feeling such things. Why she cared._

_But it had been the first time she had ever let herself feel such things._

A week had passes and sure enough, Natasha Stark woke up. Her eye sight was groggy at best for the first few seconds before it focused onto the white ceiling. "Dream or hangover…" She muttered to herself as she raised a pained arm to her head. "I'm afraid to disappoint, but neither, Miss Stark."

Her eyes widened quickly at the sneer in the voice she just heard. She immediately sat up in a rush, ignoring both the pain and the blood rush she would soon feel. She glanced around her hospital room but saw nothing but empty space. It was only then did she notice the face on the TV screen in her room.

"Stane…" She grumbled as she glared at the screen.

"I'll admit, you hit me pretty hard, enough so that I had to go and regenerate myself. It takes a lot to keep this working and functioning." The screen was a mainly of just his face, it showed somewhat of his collared shirt below. "But compared to you, I'd say I came out with the better end of the stick." He chuckled lightly.

"What do you want, Stane? If you wanted to kill me, you would have. But you're obviously waiting." Natasha was annoyed at this point. He was taking his damn time and Natasha hated being patient. "I'm waiting for the right moment." He grinned widely. "Oh, and might I suggest one thing before I go?" He paused, taking in her face of aggravation. "You're no longer an Avenger and you aren't a member of SHIELD. They still hate you too, from what I remember. Yes?" He left the question open, knowing all too well it'd be easy to play with her mind if it was as drugged up as it was. "Yes. Anyhow, you were right. This is between us. I'll make my appearance known shortly, but I think it'd be too easy taking you out when you're drugged up. We'll meet again shortly." The screen went black leaving Natasha to listen to the sound of the heart monitor and her own heavy breathing. The door suddenly opened with a rush.

"Miss Stark, it's nice to see you've come around." One of the doctors flashed a smile, even though Natasha visibly flinched, remembering Loki saying something similar to her when she was on the edge of death. "Your readings are fine and I think-"

"I'm going home."

Her voice was adamant as she stared at the intimidated doctor. "I can't let you do that, Miss Stark, I'm under strict orders by-" Another interruption.

"I don't care. I'm not an Avenger anymore and I'm not a consultant anymore. I quit both. So technically, you can't hold me anymore." There was a silence between them, as if the doctor she had never seen before was contemplating what to do. "Very well… Is there anything I can do for you before you leave?"

Natasha paused before responding. "Actually, yes. If anyone asks, I never left. I'm still here and I'm still unconscious. In fact, don't tell anyone anything for at least a week ish. Maybe two. Up to you." She paused, making note of the bandages now wrapped around her. "Where are you going, Miss Stark?" The SHIELD-paid employee hesitantly asked.

"To finish what I started. It started with Obadiah. It ends with Ezekiel."

* * *

It was two in the morning when Steve got the call. Two weeks had passed with evasive answers from the doctors. Under normal circumstance, he would have been asleep. But he found sleep to be not reachable that night. "Hello?" He answered the phone cautiously, slightly groggy. "Captain Rogers, I think I should say something. Miss Stark… She left about a week or so ago, saying to not tell the Avengers or something... She said something about finishing what she started but-" Steve stopped listening, signaling for Jarvis to awaken everyone for an immediate conference. It took less than ten minutes to get everyone in a room. "Steve, what's going on...?" Clint grumbled as he scratched the back of his head. Romanoff sat next to him with an equally tired look. Bruce and the others were just as tired, but Bruce had taken to making a cup of tea for himself. "I got a call from the doctors. They said Nat woke up a week ago or so and just left. Without telling us. On purpose. Why would she do that? Where is she?"

The room became eerily quiet as Steve looked at the team, almost as if they knew something he didn't. They hadn't found the time to tell him and they had procrastinated on such a moment that they then had no choice but to say something.

Steve's stomach dropped at the next statement.

"She quit the Avengers Initiative."

**Hey there! Sorry for such delays. I try. I really do. But here's an update on a few things: **

**One or two of you PMed me about giving out my tumblr so you guys can message me there? Would you guys want that or are you chill with talking on here. It doesn't really matter to me, haha. **

**Two, once ATP is finished, I will start posting the Fem!Tony/Bruce and the Fem!Tony/Loki fics. Which would guys rather see first though?**

**Three, I don't know when the next update will be. I try to update when I can though! :D**

**Four: You know how in the Captain America movie when he travels across the country and he has the Captain America girls dancing behind him? Well I'm making a Captain America Girl costume for Halloween. I think it'll be fun. I just wish I had someone to dress as Howard Stark with me. I'm forever alone though so that's not going to happen, lolz.**

**Five: I love you guys a lot. You keep me motivated enough to continue writing. :) **


	15. Update

Sorry guys, this isn't a chapter update, however, this is me coming here to inform you that I have posted a Fem!Tony/Bruce fic entitled "The Color of Chaos". It's a working title, but I hope you guys enjoy it if you decide to read it. I'll see you in about a week or so for the update of ATP. :)


	16. Chapter 15: Always

"What do you mean she quit?"

Silence overcame the room once more. Clint and Romanoff looked to the side, not really wanting to have to explain it. Bruce shifted uncomfortably to the side as he put his tea down. Loki had been sitting next to him with a similar cup filled with the same substance. "They accused her of being the enemy and she quit. She quit being an Avenger, being part of SHIELD, the whole thing." Bruce finally spoke up, gaining full attention. "We were going to tell you but we thought we'd wait for her to be fully capable of human interaction before we mentioned anything. But now…" Steve stood, trying to piece everything together. "Don't be mad, Steve… We didn't mean to put her in a tough spot." Romanoff gave him a pleading look.

"We need to find her. Now."

The urgent tone in Steve's voice wasn't lost upon the team. "Ezekiel Stane is still out there. He didn't die when we fought him at the Hydra base. She's alone and not up to fighting status and she's going to get killed." Everyone stood up immediately as they prepared to leave. "Jarvis, is Nat in the Malibu mansion right now?" Bruce asked as he tried to maintain his composure.

"I'm not allowed to disclose such information, Dr. Banner. I'm-"

"Jarvis. Don't give me any of that. She's going to die if we don't get there in time." Bruce stood silently next to Loki, who was watching the conversation between the genius and the AI. "Yes, Doctor Banner. She is in the Malibu mansion."

Natasha Stark hadn't completely slept during her first week away from the Avengers. For a number of reasons. The first being she was paranoid and afraid. The idea that Stane could make an appearance at any time had her on the defensive. The second was that she found the mansion to be quite lonesome. Another casualty of letting herself become attached to the idea of being on a "team." She missed the daily rumbles that came from the gym specifically made for Thor's brute strength. She missed Clint and Romanoff sparring with one another in equal combat. She missed Bruce's companionship in the labs. She missed Loki's banter that would echo in even the farthest reaches of her sanctum.

But more importantly, she missed Steve Rogers.

She slumped into her chair, clearly weary of her situation. Her body was still in tremendous amount of pain, even with the amount of pain killers she was on. She had managed to fix her suit, along with a few upgrades, leaving her to not have anything more to do. She even managed to make a gauntlet handcuff that would be a block to Stanes power if they ever did catch him. "What to do now…" She pondered, feeling her eyes droop somewhat.

"We can't have you falling asleep now, Natasha." Her eyes shot open quickly turning around to see Ezekiel standing rather casually in the lab. "Finally. I was getting annoyed with waiting." Natasha mumbled as she stood up, attempting to ignore the pain surging through her body as she stood. "You're lab is better than I imagined it to be. I remember how curious you were as a child. You always tinkered with everything you could. You made your workshop downstairs near your father's. And now, imagine that…" He said as he took in the lab with all of it's gadgets and machinery. "That's just creepy." She raised an eyebrow. Natasha held on tightly to her bracelets. She had had the extra sense to constantly wear them on the expected chance that Stane showed up.

"I'm glad you're little initiative is no longer a problem. It makes this job a lot more easy." He smirked before Natasha could react. His hand was somehow gripping at her jaw line, not entirely crushing, but still painfully pressing. "I'm a man of integrity. There wouldn't be much fun if you couldn't defend yourself." He threw her to the side, causing her to land on the floor. "Go ahead, call your suit." Natasha visibly flinched as the pain overwhelmed her body. She slowly stood to her feet. "Jarvis. If you would, please…" She muttered loud enough. Without a second passing, robotic arms began to piece the suit onto her body only taking up a few moments of time.

Stane nodded in approval. "Time to end this, yes?" He grinned before launching himself at her, causing both of them to ram into the tables located behind them. Natasha threw a few punches at him with an added kick that flung him off. "Jarvis, power to thrusters." Her screen showed to power transfer, signaling for her to ram herself into him with as much power the suit could use. He grunted loudly at his back smacked into the steel wall. A pule of energy left his hand, sending her backwards once more. Both were breathing heavily.

"To think you were nearly impenetrable until you met the Avengers. Or should I say the Captain." He grinned widely stretching his arms one by one. Before Natasha answered she took off the helmet abruptly, feeling the urge to breath more important. A few cut marks had formed on her face, her long hair fell against the suit. "Leave him out of this." The full power of her glare could be felt now that the helmet was off. "But what makes him so special?" He was genuinely curious. "Genius billionaire playgirl philanthropist. You have all the choices in the world and you chose the super soldier. Why?"

Natasha paused, her eyes narrowing at why he was drifting to topics that didn't concern him. It was long before she replied.

"How long till we get there?" Romanoff clicked a button on her headset as she sat in the co-pilot seat. Clint was driving. "We get there, when we get there…" Clint mumbled, having had to answer her for the fifth time within the last three minutes. "Pardon the interruption, but Stane has made an appearance at the Malibu mansion." Jarvis said with a worried tone as he caught the attention of all the Avengers. "Has she suited up?"

"I'm afraid she has, sir. Her helmet is off though."

There was a pause before Steve responded. "Try connecting to it anyway, maybe we can reach her for contact." Steve sat in the chair next to Romanoff's. His head set was secure as he ehard static before audio began to play through. He heard Natasha's voice through the audio. It was far away, but still audible. She sounded almost baffled in her tone as she asked the one worded question. He glanced at the clock on the side quickly. The quinjet could only go so fast. They had a few minutes till getting there.

"Why?"

"Why?" She sounded astounding by his audacity to ask such a question. "My whole life, I was in the shadow of something I would never be. I was a failure to my parents, a tool for your dad, a puppet to the media and a mercenary to Fury's militia. After the kidnapping it took a while for anyone to break through the wall I made. I would coupe myself up in that workshop for hours, just like I did when I was little. Steve hated me when we first met. Normally everyone gives up after that but he didn't. He kept trying to break through the wall. He saw me in a way that no one else ever had."

He smirked in a way that irritated her immensely. "So the girl of iron fell in love with the soldier. It sounds like a lovely story. Too bad it doesn't really matter in the end." He was swift in his movement towards her, quickly lifting her up by the neck and pushing her against the wall. "It's fun making you suffer." He smiled maliciously, watching her suffocate. He loosened his grip a bit to let her speak. "You know what's funny? Your motivation. You think you're so smart but the thing is, you aren't. Everything you are, it's because of me." She narrowed his eyes as he looked at her in wonder. "All of your biotech, you based it off of Stark tech. All of it. Without that, you wouldn't have a foundation." His eyes flashed with anger as he tightened the grip once more. Her response was in fragments of releasing air. "Dum-ee…. Fi… Fire!" She managed with a grunt, causing him to frown in response. "Fire?" He repeated, unsure of her words. He couldn't react for much longer as fire extinguisher foam was sprayed across the area and into him directly, it landed in his eyes and in his mouth.

"Shit! It burns!" He yelled loudly as his hands dropped quickly from her neck and directly to his eyes. "It takes fucking bad too! What was that?!" He yelled loudly across the lab blindly. "Good boy." She softly said, regaining her voice and breath. Without a second though she lunged again at him her hand tightly around his neck, mimicking what he had been doing a few moments earlier. One hand was tightly gripping, the other had a charging repulsor aimed at his face. "How does it feel you bastard?" She snorted, pushing him further into the wall. The noise of people entering the labw as lost on her as she concentrated on her target, watching him choke.

It was only when something pushed her out of the way did she realize people were in the room. She landed on the ground as she looked up and saw a familiar flash of red, white and blue take her place, only the figure smacked him into the ground. "Steve…" her voice was unsure as her eyes widened at the blind fury of the man in front of her. Steve began punching ferociously without stopping, as if Stane were a punching bag hanging. "How dare you!" He yelled at the almost unconscious figure. Natasha stared in wonder as the rest of the team stood on the other side, watching in awe and horror. It took a lot to make the composed Steve Rogers so blindly mad.

"Steve…" Natasha got up as quickly as she could, seeing that it had ended. Stane was dead, or at the very least unconscious. "Steve!" He stopped finally, looking up at the sound of her voice. "It's over. He can't do anything anymore." Steve breathed heavily as he looked down briefly at the man bleeding profusely below him. He looked back up, noting the damage on Natasha. Her face had paled, hand marked had been made on her neck, she was breathing heavily. "I'm so sorry." He shook his head as he leaned towards her enveloping her in a tight hug. She blinked momentarily, unsure of what was happening. She lowered her arms and returned the hug. "You don't need to be sorry, Steve." He loosened his grip on the hug, stepping a bit back to look her in the eye.

"It's all my fault. You wouldn't have been kidnapped, the team wouldn't have been injured during the battle, all because I didn't say something about my identity and-" She paused, noting the look he was giving her. "You know what, we'll talk later. Right now, we need to put him someplace he won't be seen for a very long time. I even made a gauntlet so he can't do anything more." Agent Romanoff walked forward., finding it to be the right time to speak. "We'll take him to SHIELD facilities. He'll be maintained there." Steve took his eyes off of Natasha to give the rest of his team a satisfied look.

"Sounds good…" He sighed.

Nick Fury met them half way, offering to put Stane in confinement personally, leaving Natasha the impression that Fury did, somewhat, care for her. It was a silent flight home for the Avengers, not wanting to open any wounds until they were in the comfort of their own home.

Home.

Natasha Stark, as confused as she was, would always consider a place with the Avengers a home. A place with Steve Rogers near by a home. The difference between a house and a home was that a house merely gave someone a place to live. A home was a place that you felt comfortable enough to be yourself. A place that you wanted to go back to. Natasha hadn't felt that in quite some time.

"It was my fault. I shouldn't have stormed off." Natasha finally broke the silence. They all had changed into more comfortable clothing, Natasha opting for a shirt and sport shorts. She felt weird not covering the arc reactor in front of them. She leaned against the wall, not looking them in the eye. "But we should have believed you…" Clint replied immediately after. Another round of silence ensued, an implied forgiveness had tinted the room. "We should all get some sleep. We've had a long day." Bruce said, yawning before leading everyone out of the room.

Natasha stood alone, realizing there had been a missing figure from the room. She looked outside, the rain had begun falling not too long ago. She glanced down to see a familiar shape of blond hair. She pressed her lips together as she slowly made her way towards the door. She paused at the door, feeling a pair of eyes on her. Bruce Banner was staring at her expectantly. "Go. He'll want the company." She took a deep breath before turning around.

This time, she didn't forget her umbrella.

Steve Rogers stood outside, letting the rain hit him gently as he stared off into the distance, allowing for the peace of his mind to settle. It took him a few moments to realize the rain had stopped hitting him, and yet it continued to hit the pavement around him. He turned around to his side. "You're really tall, you know that?" Natasha said tiresomely as she attempted to raise the umbrella above both of them. He cracked a smile at the sound of her normal snark.

"How are you doing?" Steve's voice was soft as he stood closer to her. She nodded slowly. "A bit roughed up, but I think I'll be fine." She paused before looking up at him. She had been worn, she felt almost as bad as the weeks after coming home from the cave. Almost as bad. "How are you, Steve?" Steve blinked at the question, not really expecting it. It occurred to Steve that in the entire time that he had been working himself up with worry over Natasha, not one person asked him if he was alright or how he was doing. And if they had asked, he would have honestly answered with a no. He hadn't been alright.

Natasha tilted her head down, finding her feet to be a nice distraction. "If you had asked me that a few hours ago when we were looking for you, I wouldn't have been alright…" He closed a majority of the space between them, one of his hands finding themselves laced with hers. The other tilted her chin up ever so gently. "Steve, what are you-" The only sound audible to Natasha's ears was the sound of the umbrella dropping into the puddle of water next to them. Rain had begun to hit both of them once more. All space had closed between them as she realized the warm sensation on her lips. Her eyes widened at the realization.

Steve Rogers was currently kissing her.

Without a second thought, she felt herself lean in to him. His hand caressed the side of her face, the other maintaining the entwinement with her fingers. They parted momentarily, her lips tracing gently over his. She tiptoed again, pushing harder into the kiss. Steve let out a deep, very short groan that emitted from his throat as she felt him lean closer into her.

Natasha Stark had kissed many men before. Each one had kissed her hungrily with the ulterior motive of nothing more than lust and attraction. However with Steve's kiss, it was something far more. In reality, it had been merely a few seconds, but it felt like hours to her. It had meaning and definition far more than any other kiss she had had and she loved every minute. His lips moved slowly against hers; in sync harmoniously.

Needless to say, she was flushed and somewhat disappointed when they separated.

Their foreheads were leaning close together, Steve's hands had found themselves around her small waist, bringing her in closer. "I couldn't stand the idea of not having you every day in my life." Soft and gentle would be understatements to describe his voice. It sent chills down her spine. "I heard every word that you said to Stane. I saw everything that happened while I was away too." A rare smirk appeared on his face. "You saw everything?" Natasha wasn't sure what he meant when he said such things. Both of them continued to stand in the rain. Steve moved a strand of her hair away from her face. She narrowed her eyes at him playfully.

"You know, someone once told me I might catch a cold if I stay in the rain."

The two sauntered inside and down to her lab. She offered the both of them a towel to dry off. "From the beginning." Her voice broke the comfortable silence the two were having. Steve sighed. "When I came into the lab that one time, I saw the videos. From there I didn't know how to react." Natasha pressed her lips together momentarily before taking a seat on the large couch located against the wall. Steve took a seat next to her. "I got captured and Stane had the fake Captain plant cameras around the tower, so whatever he saw, I saw." He glanced over at her, taking in her reaction.

She looked beaten and tired, as if she could sleep for a long time. It was true. She felt her eyesight straying and didn't have the strength to remove herself from the couch to a more suitable location. Steve gently tugged on her wrist, pulling her to lie down next to him on the couch. She caught the familiar scent of pine needles once more. "We can talk more tomorrow…" He muttered as he wrapped both arms around her. She could feel the warmth from his chest radiating into her back.

The warmth of a summer's day.

"Are you sure about this?" She questioned lightly, doubt filling her voice. A drowsy outlining could also be heard. "About what?" He question lightly as he leaned his head down. He felt movement on Natasha's part as she turned her body around to face him. He still had a firm grasp that secured her next to him. "This." Steve paused, realizing she was referencing the step both of them had taken in the last hour. "There's this guy. When I was little I had the biggest crush on him that you could possibly ever imagine. When I got older, we hated each other, and then I ended up falling in love with him. I'm reckless, selfish, I don't play well with others-" She paused as she felt the soft sensation of his lips kissing her forehead.

"The funny thing about that…" He paused, looking her in the eyes once more. "The guy she fell in love with, well he fell in love with her too."

The next morning, Clint Barton had wandered down to lab in search of the young genius. Needless to say, he took multiple pictures of the two cuddling on the couch, more than likely to flaunt in the young inventor's face when the time was needed.

"Isn't this adorable…" Clint said in a medium leveled tone. Steve opened his eyes sharply, giving Clint somewhat of a scare. "You're going to wake her up…" He glanced at his friend as he maintained his steady breathing and his position. Natasha continued to sleep soundly. Clint slid his hands into his pocket. "I'll take it everything went well." He grinned widely as he stared down at them. "That would be an understatement, Agent Barton." Jarvis spoke up more quietly than expected. Clint couldn't help but snicker.

Clint turned to leave the area, but before he left, he couldn't help but say aloud more to himself than anything. "I've never seen her sleep so peacefully. Keep her safe, Steve…" Steve could hear from where he was and couldn't help but reply.

"Always."

**I think this is the end? I'm pretty sure it's the end. Unless you guys feel anything is unresolved, because then I'll resolve, just let me know. I'm unsure on how to end stuff. I'm just really bad at it. **

**Otherwise I'll be focusing on the next projects. FemTony/Bruce and FemTony/Loki are the next ones up! **

**The Bruce one is up so be sure to check it out if you want. **

**Thanks you guys for sticking with me throughout this story. You guys are perfect. (: **


	17. Chapter 16: Rogers and Stark

"I… I don't know what to do about them…"

Bruce sauntered over, a small smile had curved on his face. The two had been sitting in silence for the last hour. College papers had been scattered about, both those of the crumpled and rough draft variety. "What did they fight about this time?" Bruce placed a cup of coffee on the other side of the table.

"They fought again. About how she latched herself onto the complicated Alien air cycle and flew off with no back up. She came back four days later. No one had heard from her for four days. He was furious about how reckless she was and she was just doing her job and that he just needed to trust her and- the two haven't spoken much less seen each other in the last two weeks. I left before the fight escalated." Bruce frowned before briefly skimming over some of the work in front of him. He nodded in approval. "But you know they're always going to do this, right?"

Peter Parker sighed, running his hands through his hair. "And I know you were building up the audacity to tell your parents about the whole Spiderman thing but-"

"I know. I know Uncle Bruce. Dad would explode if I told him about it now. Mom would try to push it off, say that it's awesome but she'd be freaking out on the inside." The seventeen year old leaned back in his chair as Bruce gave him a sympathetic look. "It doesn't help that I think she knows about it already." Peter said softly, not really focusing his eye line at anything specific on the table. Bruce chuckled. "You'd probably be right about that. It's your mom we're talking about."

"But what I don't get is why are they fighting so much?"

Bruce didn't respond for a minute or so. "With relationships comes a time where the two might need to separate for a bit. Not only to spread roots but to make new starts. And sometimes amongst the mess that is being Captain America and Iron Man, they've probably neglected to pay attention to the fact that they love each other. That they have unforgettable memories with each. That no matter what mission happens, they always find each other."

Peter's eye's slowly widened as an idea began to slowly form in his head. A large smile broke onto his face. Bruce smirked, utterly curious as to what was happening in the young man's mind. He supposed this is what it felt like to watch him and Natasha work together.

"Pete, what are you thinking of doing?"

**I'm back. I'm back with an after adventure because of reasons. You guys asked for Super Family and you're going to get some.**


	18. Chapter 17: Up

Peter Parker believed in love.

His parents never did get married and he wasn't one to question it. All he knew was that a year after being officially together, they decided to adopt Peter into their family. He wasn't sure how it worked legally, but then again, his mother was Natasha Stark. He was sure she worked something out. At the age of fifteen, he became the responsibility of Steve Rogers and Natasha Stark and he'd be damned if he said it was a pretty big deal for him.

Bruce sat across from Peter, staring at him trying to figure out what could possibly be going on. Peter's sudden question startled him briefly. "Bruce, where is Betty right now? And Jane Foster?" Bruce paused, thinking last of where Betty mentioned she was. "She's somewhere on the west coast, I believe. Finishing one of her projects. Jane is probably in New Mexico still." Bruce gave him a look, one that would only stem from a curious mind. "Peter, what are you think of doing?"

Peter proceeded to tell Bruce the entirety of his plan. One that would be sure to bring his parents together once more. All he needed were the appropriate tools and the right people to help him. "Natasha's told me everything about their relationship. I can probably help you with that part. The other part, you'll have to give me the night to think over." He smiled softly. The two sat together a while longer as Bruce began to tell him the tale of how Natasha Stark and Steve Rogers came to fall in love with each other and everything thereafter. Peter studiously took notes on as much as he could.

Peter Parker believed in love and was nearly positive that his parents could fall in love again. He didn't think they were out of love, but he believed that their love had been blurred by their responsibilities.

* * *

During the duration of their argument, Natasha Stark sat in her lab as usual. It had become a common occurrence in the last two weeks. Through Jarvis, she made sure she wouldn't have any run-ins with Steve. It had become apparent to Peter that whenever she worked on her vintage cars, she was trying to distract herself. It had gotten as bad as her going to the Malibu home at one point. The one and only reason she stayed even in the tower was because Peter was there to take care of. To be there for. If anything were for certain, she'd never abandon her child. Her father did it but she'd never stoop that low. So when Peter had received the opportunity to go to study across the country for two weeks with world renowned physicists, Natasha took that as an opportunity to relocate herself at the Malibu home until Peter's return.

Peter returned home a week early because they had nothing to teach him compared to the scientists he lived with. The night he got back, he had had his talk with Bruce. That night he would begin to set his plan in motion.

The first step would be to talk to his mother.

He entered his room and closed the door softly. "Jarvis, make sure no one enters without warning me first." Peter said as he flicked on the lights. Jarvis didn't respond but the lock system could be heard from Peter's bed. He sat comfortably as he slid his laptop onto his lap. A few of his files were open, but none that he needed to work on at the moment. Before she left, she made sure to tell Peter that she was only a phone call or video call away and Peter had never been more glad to hear that. As he clicked the video call button, it only took a few moments for Natasha to pick up. With anyone else, she might let it ring to the last second or ignore it all together.

But Peter was the exception.

"Hey Pete, aren't supposed to be busy doing whatever it is young geniuses do?" Natasha smiled softly as she looked through a few of her own papers in the workshop of her Malibu home. Peter chuckled lightly. "You were one once."

"Yeah I know." She gave him a cheeky grin in response.

They sat silently for a moment or two before Natasha sighed, realizing what this was probably about. "You father didn't tell me you were home." Her voice was neutral but Peter caught the slight sadness that it held. He ran a hand through his hair, not knowing how to start off. "You two should talk then." Peter replied frankly. Natasha paused and looked up from her papers to see Peter giving her the look that she could rarely say no to. This time she had reason to though. "He doesn't want to talk to me."

Before she could say anything further, Peter replied quickly with hope. "Well, what would you say if you could talk to him? Mom, I know you two are fighting, but you still love each other. Otherwise you wouldn't be fighting. I promise that if you write this letter, things will get better. Please, Mom?" Peter gave her a hopeful set of eyes that could only look away from and sigh. She grabbed a sheet of paper and a pen before looking back up. "He doesn't even want to talk to me Pete." She pressed her lips together before swallowing to relieve her dry throat. "You shouldn't make promises you can't keep..." Peter gave her a grin that mirrored her own at times.

"But those are the best kind."

* * *

The next day, Peter sat across from Bruce once more. Bruce sat silently contemplating the part of his plan that would involve him. He told Bruce the night before but Bruce then had to give him an answer, and quick. Peter planned on keeping Natasha off on the other side of the country under the premise that she was pursuing scientific exploration with other well-known scientists in their respective fields:

Betty Ross, cellular biologist.

Jane Foster, astrophysicist.

Henry "Hank" Pym, biochemistry and other various fields

Reed Richards, physicist and knowledgeable in most, if not, all fields of science.

And if Peter could convince him, Bruce Banner, gamma radiation specialist. Peter Parker calculated that a meeting of the minds would be a perfect disguise for his plan. Meanwhile, he'd send his father on an adventure of his own. "Peter, can I have a minute alone with Bruce?" Peter looked up a bit startled as Steve entered the room. He hadn't expected Steve anywhere near the area. Usually when Peter and Bruce were together, Natasha wasn't too far away. "Yeah, sure. I'll be in my room…" Steve patted his shoulder gently in gratitude as he slowly made his way out. Peter looked back briefly at Bruce who met glances with him.

They shared a look of understanding.

"How are you Steve?" He said softly as he slid his glasses off and placed them on the counter. Steve had the eyes of a worried man. He scratched the back of his neck nervously before speaking. "Natasha… I'm not apologizing because I don't think I'm in the wrong but we haven't spoken in two weeks. I went to find her but she's nowhere to be found." Steve looked Bruce in the eye and held a steady gaze. Bruce felt bad in one way but he was going to go through with Peter's plan. "She's not here, Steve. She went to work on something…"

Steve's eyes flickered with confusion and trickled with slight anger. "She left again? Without telling anyone?" Bruce remained silent as he pulled out a stack of neatly made red envelopes. Peter had given them to him earlier in the day. "For you. They have to do with where Natasha is. I'm not sure where she is, but these are supposed to help you…" Bruce bit his lip nervously, easily a habit caught from Natasha. Steve was about to question the letter but stopped himself midway. He decided maybe the first letter would answer any preliminary questions he had. Bruce slipped out of his seat and made his way towards the corridor. Peter was nearby, making sure everything went according to his plan. "I'll go…" Bruce whispered. "But are you sure this will work?"

Before Peter answered, he continued to watch Steve. Steve opened the first envelope with ease.

_Steve,_

_ Some things in this world are common and others are so rare that you see them only once in a life time. And then there are those beautiful things that some keep to themselves and share with one special person. Two years ago, Natasha showed you something once that she never showed anyone. "A tune that reminded [you] of the freedom to fly away." Go to the place that she freely shared with you…_

_Do you remember?_

It took Steve a moment before he slowly stood up, the paper still steady in his hand. As vague as it seemed he knew exactly of the place the letter meant. He didn't know how, he didn't know who would have the audacity to write such a letter, but he knew. He'd never forget the place the letter spoke of. It was a place that many knew of but Natasha had never allowed them to go in.

The letter wanted him to go to old Stark Mansion.

Bruce and Peter stood in the shadows watching as Steve hurried out the door; jacket and keys in tow. "Do you think he understood?" Bruce said softly as if not wanting to break the silence that Steve had created in his absence. "I can only hope he did."

Steve reached the streets at a speed not normal for the average human being as he reached his motorcycle and began his 30 minute journey towards a place he had seen numerous times in pictures and only once had he actually stepped foot into it. After Natasha had become the last Stark to live in the house, she left but made sure to keep it intact as much as she could. She had kept her mother's artwork exactly how she had left it. There wasn't a table left undusted or cracked. All the room remained closed with the exception of a cleaning when needed. Her father's workshop had been the only thing touched.

To ensure the utmost precaution, she had cleaned out his workshop and office and stored all of his belongings in unknown facilities. Natasha had also made sure to install security systems. Other than those two actions, the house remained frozen in time. Just as he had once been. He remembered the day he entered the house. He had expected a cold chill, an abundance of cob webs and the smell of must but found the exact opposite. He found it warm, clean and it smelled of an apple orchard…

* * *

It had been a little less than a year since the two had begun their relationship. Only a few fights and differences had occurred, but other than that, they were steadier than most would have expected. It was a summer morning when Steve entered the kitchen area. Bruce Banner sat at the counter drinking his tea and enjoying the morning paper. "Hey, Steve, how are you?" He smiled lightly as he sipped his drink. "I'm pretty good. Have you seen Nat anywhere? I went to find her but she's nowhere to be found. We've only talked maybe a few times this week…" Steve looked slightly worried as Bruce Banner looked up from his paper. A glint of amusement could be found. He smiled as he replied.

"She's not here, Steve. She went to work on something."

"Is she mad at me, did I do something that she's avoiding me, I-"He paused when he notced Bruce still smiling at him. He sighed, taking a seat next to him and letting out a weary chuckle himself. "She's off working but I wouldn't expect to see her until around dinner or so." Steve nodded slowly, a bit downtrodden that he wouldn't see her for most of the day, but left Bruce to his reading and decided to go back to his room. He changed his plain white shirt and causal pants to a red flannel shirt and jeans. A light knock on the door startled him but rose his hopes that it could be Natasha.

It was only Clint Barton.

"Hey, heard you're not doing much today and thought me and Tasha could take you out on the town tonight." He grinned widely as he strode confidently. It wasn't what Steve wanted to do that day, but he didn't have much of a choice. His first option was off working without saying so. "Sure, I don't see why not. Where to?" Clint didn't respond; he instead chose to merely wave his hand for Steve to come along. If anything they had gone sightseeing, gone to a local carnival, and had lunch at a random restaurant. Steve was a bit shocked at how the area seemed to be more crowded than usual, but he had to remind himself it was a holiday.

But throughout the day, he couldn't stop thinking about Natasha Stark.

He sat in the back of Clint's car staring out the window. The sun had just about set and in the distance fireworks could be heard all around. "They usually start earlier…" Romanoff said as she looked into the night sky. The sky had been highlighted with a variety of colors as each firework came from its respective location. The car began to slow down as it pulled up in-front of a somewhat familiar location. "You won't need a key, Steve. Just go right in." Clint said as he turned around to a confused Steve Rogers. He furrowed his eyebrows as he slowly began to make his way out of the car. "Have fun, Steve!" Tasha called out of the car as it drove away, leaving Steve to stand in the large drive way.

He turned around, taking in the grandeur of the house itself. It occurred to him that it was the Stark mansion. The grounds that Howard and his wife had once walked. The home that Natasha grew up in. He approached the door earnestly and opened it with ease. The expected cobwebs and musty smell wasn't to be found. Instead he was greeted with a large room that smelled of apples. On the far left, a fireplace had been lit despite the fact that it was July. Steve presumed it was for lighting. Nearby there sat a large black grand piano. Natasha sat at the bench. He couldn't see her face but he knew.

He strode up to her and stood at the side of the piano. She looked up at him with her large brown eyes, the light of the fire reflected ever slightly to make them hazel in appearance. "What's going on Nat?" He smiled softly as he sat in the chair located beside her. On the other side of her was a closed laptop and a box the size of three text books stacked on top of one another.

Without responding, she began to play.

Steve recognized it as an instrumental from a movie the two had seen recently. It was an animation. _Up_. Or so he thought it was called that. The theme wouldn't normally be played on a piano but somehow, Natasha had made it work. He didn't know how but he had made it work. "A tune that reminds you of the freedom to fly away.' That's what you said when we watched it. You said it was a 'tune you could dance to, a tune to fly to." She said softly as she looked up at him once more, the sincerity in her eyes causing his breath to catch similar to the first time she had given him that look out in the rain. "You remembered all that?" He asked softly. Fireworks could be heard in the distance still as she continued to play. "I remember most things, Steve." The final notes drifted throughout the room as she slowly began to stop. She stood up and placed the laptop and the medium sized box on top of the closed lid of the piano. Steve stood up as well.

The box had been wrapped in patriotic red, white and blue colors. Steve looked back from her and the box as she motioned her eyes for him to open it. He lifted the box lid to find a handmade cake inside. He stared silently in awe, forgetting he ought to probably say something. There were candles already in place and he would only assume she had possessed the lighter or matches. "If you don't like it I can always go and buy one. I'm not the best baker or best anything when it comes to kitchens and-"

"Nat."

She stopped herself at the sound of his voice. Steve grinned widely at the nervous habit she had developed of rambling when she had no need to worry. She looked at him and found herself immediately at ease. Steve took the cake and placed it on a nearby table that was relatively low to the ground, similar to a coffee table. She pressed her lips together as she grabbed the lighter in her back pocket. She slowly began to light each of the candles, the light better illuminating their faces. Steve looked at the candles before looking at her once more. "Aren't you going to make a wish? That's how this works, right?"

"I have something I want to do first."

He leaned forward across the coffee table where she stood opposite him, pressing his lips softly against hers. His hand found its way to the side of her face, pressing them closer together. They separated momentarily, their foreheads lingering against one another. That's an entirely different movie all together that we'll have to watch." She grinned widely as Steve gave her a perplexed look. "What you just did there. They did it in this iconic move back in the eighties and-" She paused again, stopping herself from the rambling. "Anyway, Happy Birthday, Steve." She whispered softly, sending shivers down his spine. The two parted reluctantly as Steve knelt down and blew out the candles.

He stared at the cake briefly before standing back up to look at Natasha. "Do you have that song you played, the piano version on your laptop?" She nodded in response as she caught on to his implication. "Only for you." She smirked as she made her way back to the laptop. He followed close behind. She clicked for the song to start as she felt Steve intertwine his fingers through her free hand. He tugged at her slowly to the open area of the room. "I'd think it'd be a fast waltz…" She muttered as Steve began to lead. "Since when did you get so good at dancing?" She questioned. The chuckle Steve let out resonated from his chest to hers as she felt butterflies at sound of his laugh. "I've had plenty of time to practice." The two waltzed around the room at their own pace, which luckily matched the music for the most part. "Where did you learn how to play?" Steve asked the burning question that couldn't leave his mind. "My mother taught me when I was little. I can play by hearing but I don't know how to read music. I'm sure I could learn but it doesn't seem important." She explained briefly to Steve as she mentioned for the first time something about her mother. "Has anyone ever heard you play?"

"No, just you. And my mother if you count that."

The exception. (Taking Peter briefly out of the equation,) Steve would always be the exception and she would always be his. Steve drowned out all the sound around him, including that of the song and the fireworks that contoured the night sky…

* * *

Steve Rogers stood presently in the Stark mansion where he had once stood two years prior. He found the silence eerie and the apple like smell a faint reminder that he wasn't on the best of terms with Natasha Stark. It was dark with the exception of a few outside lights shining through the curtained windows.

He remembered everything about that night. He had fallen in love with her all over again. He swallowed hard as he looked down at the next red letter, wondering what on earth its contents would hold and to what memory it would lead him to.


End file.
